[TheGuyYouLoveToHate]

I wanna kick this guy right in the n u t s.


http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/basketball/...&type=lgns

Kentucky's basketball tradition overrated
By David Shochat, The Vanderbilt Hustler
8 hours, 34 minutes ago

Buzz up! Print(CSTV U-WIRE) NASHVILLE, Tenn.—Tradition. It is one of the most overrated terms in college sports. Who speaks about tradition? The media and delusional fans, that's who. With John Calipari taking the head coaching job at Kentucky earlier this week, it got me thinking how overrated a team's tradition is. Who cares about what your school did in the 1940s? It is an excuse by fans when their team is average.

If I were a recruit, tradition would be the last thing I would care about. I would want a school who is winning now, a school who has a great coach, a place where I feel comfortable with the school and the current players, a place that has nice facilities, how early I will be able to play, and then I might consider the tradition.

It is this so-called tradition that fuels my hate for Kentucky basketball and Notre Dame football. Ask either teams' fan base to talk about their programs, and I guarantee that tradition will come up.

While neither program has had success in the past decade, both programs are still loved by the media. Why? Tradition. This tradition is a self-fulfilling prophecy the media has created. How else do you explain the four days of news coverage when Coach Cal was considering the Kentucky job? Did you know that Virginia has a new basketball coach too? By continuing to talk about the great tradition and prestige of programs like Notre Dame football or Kentucky basketball, the media just continues to reemphasize their tradition.

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Would John Calipari have left Memphis if Kentucky didn't have its great "tradition"? Doubtful. Calipari had a great situation in Memphis. The city loved him, he would have consistently won 30 games every season and he would have made more money at Memphis than he will at Kentucky.

So why did he leave? Calipari wanted the tradition, the brand name that is Kentucky because he knew that with the media exposure they get, he would be considered the best ever if he could create a new dynasty there.

Now let's get one thing straight. I am not saying that Notre Dame or Kentucky fans don't have a right to be proud of their past. What those schools have accomplished was great, but when your tradition comes from winning four of your seven national titles in the 1940-50s like it does with Kentucky basketball…Well, that was a long time ago. In this day in age, it is all about what have you done for me lately.

The greatest part of all is the irony of it all. The same people who love to talk about their great past and tradition are the same people who can't stop complaining about their lack of recent national titles; the same people who force a national championship winning coach out the door two years after he got to an Elite Eight.

Which brings me to my next point; what gets me the most about tradition is not the schools themselves but the schools' fans. These fans believe their "tradition" gives them to right to be delusional and expect to win a national championship every year or at least make the Final Four. They are arrogant and believe that their "tradition" gives them entitlement. They are unwilling to let reality get in the way of "the way it should be". When they lose to an "inferior" program like Vanderbilt, it is a fluke, the refs or that our benches are configured funny. Coaches feel the pressure of unrealistic expectations more than anyone. Alabama football coach Nick Saban stated a few weeks ago, "Do I think we have a cultural problem here in terms of expectations? Absolutely."

If these fans want championships, they need to wake up and give a coach a chance. Kevin Stallings came to Vanderbilt in 1999 and given time look what he has done for Vanderbilt basketball.

There is so much parity in college sports nowadays that the days of the Woodens and Rupps are gone, and until these delusional fan bases realize this, stop calling for a new coach every two or three years, and allow a coach to actually build a program, there will be more of the same at Kentucky and Notre Dame: mediocrity.

[devilhorns05]

This guy is just trying to get some hits in his blogs or whatever or he is just a guy who doesnt understand that tradition is what teams look to have. Take away those 4 titles for some stupid reason and we still have 3. Just as many as other elite programs more than some and just as much as some, but Kentucky earned those titles and we have 7 national titles. I wish that Kentuckys Fab Five could come give this guy a good talkin to if you know what I mean.

[Strikeout King]

I wanna kick this guy right in the n u t s.


http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/basketball/...&type=lgns

Kentucky's basketball tradition overrated
By David Shochat, The Vanderbilt Hustler
8 hours, 34 minutes ago

Buzz up! Print(CSTV U-WIRE) NASHVILLE, Tenn.—Tradition. It is one of the most overrated terms in college sports. Who speaks about tradition? The media and delusional fans, that's who. With John Calipari taking the head coaching job at Kentucky earlier this week, it got me thinking how overrated a team's tradition is. Who cares about what your school did in the 1940s? It is an excuse by fans when their team is average.

If I were a recruit, tradition would be the last thing I would care about. I would want a school who is winning now, a school who has a great coach, a place where I feel comfortable with the school and the current players, a place that has nice facilities, how early I will be able to play, and then I might consider the tradition.

It is this so-called tradition that fuels my hate for Kentucky basketball and Notre Dame football. Ask either teams' fan base to talk about their programs, and I guarantee that tradition will come up.

While neither program has had success in the past decade, both programs are still loved by the media. Why? Tradition. This tradition is a self-fulfilling prophecy the media has created. How else do you explain the four days of news coverage when Coach Cal was considering the Kentucky job? Did you know that Virginia has a new basketball coach too? By continuing to talk about the great tradition and prestige of programs like Notre Dame football or Kentucky basketball, the media just continues to reemphasize their tradition.

ADVERTISEMENT

Would John Calipari have left Memphis if Kentucky didn't have its great "tradition"? Doubtful. Calipari had a great situation in Memphis. The city loved him, he would have consistently won 30 games every season and he would have made more money at Memphis than he will at Kentucky.

So why did he leave? Calipari wanted the tradition, the brand name that is Kentucky because he knew that with the media exposure they get, he would be considered the best ever if he could create a new dynasty there.

Now let's get one thing straight. I am not saying that Notre Dame or Kentucky fans don't have a right to be proud of their past. What those schools have accomplished was great, but when your tradition comes from winning four of your seven national titles in the 1940-50s like it does with Kentucky basketball…Well, that was a long time ago. In this day in age, it is all about what have you done for me lately.

The greatest part of all is the irony of it all. The same people who love to talk about their great past and tradition are the same people who can't stop complaining about their lack of recent national titles; the same people who force a national championship winning coach out the door two years after he got to an Elite Eight.

Which brings me to my next point; what gets me the most about tradition is not the schools themselves but the schools' fans. These fans believe their "tradition" gives them to right to be delusional and expect to win a national championship every year or at least make the Final Four. They are arrogant and believe that their "tradition" gives them entitlement. They are unwilling to let reality get in the way of "the way it should be". When they lose to an "inferior" program like Vanderbilt, it is a fluke, the refs or that our benches are configured funny. Coaches feel the pressure of unrealistic expectations more than anyone. Alabama football coach Nick Saban stated a few weeks ago, "Do I think we have a cultural problem here in terms of expectations? Absolutely."

If these fans want championships, they need to wake up and give a coach a chance. Kevin Stallings came to Vanderbilt in 1999 and given time look what he has done for Vanderbilt basketball.

There is so much parity in college sports nowadays that the days of the Woodens and Rupps are gone, and until these delusional fan bases realize this, stop calling for a new coach every two or three years, and allow a coach to actually build a program, there will be more of the same at Kentucky and Notre Dame: mediocrity.

This guy is stupid and i also wanna kick him in the nuts. he wouldnt know what tradition was if it hit him right in the face. im proud of our UK basketball team and the tradition that we have, i wouldnt trade if for anyother tradition in the world

[Memorial Gym #5]

Some people love Kentucky and some people hate Kentucky! I think every school in the country has delusional fans, there is one in every bunch!! I also think tradition at any school is important, some poeple can appreciate tradition and some can't!! There is a school and team for every fan and player!! JMO, Go Cats!!

[HAIL PIKEVILLE!]

Of course this guys gonna complain about Coach Cal coming to UK. Im sure you will read alot of blogs like this from people who are fans of fellow SEC schools because they know whats in store for them in the near future.

[sherman14]

I'm tired of people trying to beat down UK. They are by no doubt the greatest of all time.

[C.Clair]

I think its funny myself. People are still jelious of UK basketball. This guy is wanting his 15 mins of fame thats all this is.

[theVILLE]

This guy is stupid and i also wanna kick him in the nuts. he wouldnt know what tradition was if it hit him right in the face. im proud of our UK basketball team and the tradition that we have, i wouldnt trade if for anyother tradition in the world

I agree the tradition is like no other.....UCLA has a great tradition also....But the CATS are struggling in the present....GOOD luck with coach cal....but remember he said he wasnt the mesiah and it was going to take time, by 3 or 4 years

[jetpilot]

I wanna kick this guy right in the n u t s.


http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/basketball/...&type=lgns

Kentucky's basketball tradition overrated
By David Shochat, The Vanderbilt Hustler
8 hours, 34 minutes ago

Buzz up! Print(CSTV U-WIRE) NASHVILLE, Tenn.—Tradition. It is one of the most overrated terms in college sports. Who speaks about tradition? The media and delusional fans, that's who. With John Calipari taking the head coaching job at Kentucky earlier this week, it got me thinking how overrated a team's tradition is. Who cares about what your school did in the 1940s? It is an excuse by fans when their team is average.

If I were a recruit, tradition would be the last thing I would care about. I would want a school who is winning now, a school who has a great coach, a place where I feel comfortable with the school and the current players, a place that has nice facilities, how early I will be able to play, and then I might consider the tradition.

It is this so-called tradition that fuels my hate for Kentucky basketball and Notre Dame football. Ask either teams' fan base to talk about their programs, and I guarantee that tradition will come up.

While neither program has had success in the past decade, both programs are still loved by the media. Why? Tradition. This tradition is a self-fulfilling prophecy the media has created. How else do you explain the four days of news coverage when Coach Cal was considering the Kentucky job? Did you know that Virginia has a new basketball coach too? By continuing to talk about the great tradition and prestige of programs like Notre Dame football or Kentucky basketball, the media just continues to reemphasize their tradition.

ADVERTISEMENT

Would John Calipari have left Memphis if Kentucky didn't have its great "tradition"? Doubtful. Calipari had a great situation in Memphis. The city loved him, he would have consistently won 30 games every season and he would have made more money at Memphis than he will at Kentucky.

So why did he leave? Calipari wanted the tradition, the brand name that is Kentucky because he knew that with the media exposure they get, he would be considered the best ever if he could create a new dynasty there.

Now let's get one thing straight. I am not saying that Notre Dame or Kentucky fans don't have a right to be proud of their past. What those schools have accomplished was great, but when your tradition comes from winning four of your seven national titles in the 1940-50s like it does with Kentucky basketball…Well, that was a long time ago. In this day in age, it is all about what have you done for me lately.

The greatest part of all is the irony of it all. The same people who love to talk about their great past and tradition are the same people who can't stop complaining about their lack of recent national titles; the same people who force a national championship winning coach out the door two years after he got to an Elite Eight.

Which brings me to my next point; what gets me the most about tradition is not the schools themselves but the schools' fans. These fans believe their "tradition" gives them to right to be delusional and expect to win a national championship every year or at least make the Final Four. They are arrogant and believe that their "tradition" gives them entitlement. They are unwilling to let reality get in the way of "the way it should be". When they lose to an "inferior" program like Vanderbilt, it is a fluke, the refs or that our benches are configured funny. Coaches feel the pressure of unrealistic expectations more than anyone. Alabama football coach Nick Saban stated a few weeks ago, "Do I think we have a cultural problem here in terms of expectations? Absolutely."

If these fans want championships, they need to wake up and give a coach a chance. Kevin Stallings came to Vanderbilt in 1999 and given time look what he has done for Vanderbilt basketball.

There is so much parity in college sports nowadays that the days of the Woodens and Rupps are gone, and until these delusional fan bases realize this, stop calling for a new coach every two or three years, and allow a coach to actually build a program, there will be more of the same at Kentucky and Notre Dame: mediocrity.

He doesn't have any.

[stonesteven]

It wouldnt surprise me if he didnt get death threats after this post! LOL, Kentucky has some crazy Fing fans! This guy is just mad, i bet he is a Memphis fan!

[FBALL]

He has some valid points in there. Kentucky does a have a delusional fan base with a skewed sense of entitlement but most of the complaints just boil down to jealousy. Take it as a compliment. You have done a pretty good job as a program to enduce that kind of disdain from others around the country.

[Colonel Kill]

I wanna kick this guy right in the n u t s.


http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/basketball/...&type=lgns

Kentucky's basketball tradition overrated
By David Shochat, The Vanderbilt Hustler
8 hours, 34 minutes ago

Buzz up! Print(CSTV U-WIRE) NASHVILLE, Tenn.—Tradition. It is one of the most overrated terms in college sports. Who speaks about tradition? The media and delusional fans, that's who. With John Calipari taking the head coaching job at Kentucky earlier this week, it got me thinking how overrated a team's tradition is. Who cares about what your school did in the 1940s? It is an excuse by fans when their team is average.

If I were a recruit, tradition would be the last thing I would care about. I would want a school who is winning now, a school who has a great coach, a place where I feel comfortable with the school and the current players, a place that has nice facilities, how early I will be able to play, and then I might consider the tradition.

It is this so-called tradition that fuels my hate for Kentucky basketball and Notre Dame football. Ask either teams' fan base to talk about their programs, and I guarantee that tradition will come up.

While neither program has had success in the past decade, both programs are still loved by the media. Why? Tradition. This tradition is a self-fulfilling prophecy the media has created. How else do you explain the four days of news coverage when Coach Cal was considering the Kentucky job? Did you know that Virginia has a new basketball coach too? By continuing to talk about the great tradition and prestige of programs like Notre Dame football or Kentucky basketball, the media just continues to reemphasize their tradition.

ADVERTISEMENT

Would John Calipari have left Memphis if Kentucky didn't have its great "tradition"? Doubtful. Calipari had a great situation in Memphis. The city loved him, he would have consistently won 30 games every season and he would have made more money at Memphis than he will at Kentucky.

So why did he leave? Calipari wanted the tradition, the brand name that is Kentucky because he knew that with the media exposure they get, he would be considered the best ever if he could create a new dynasty there.

Now let's get one thing straight. I am not saying that Notre Dame or Kentucky fans don't have a right to be proud of their past. What those schools have accomplished was great, but when your tradition comes from winning four of your seven national titles in the 1940-50s like it does with Kentucky basketball…Well, that was a long time ago. In this day in age, it is all about what have you done for me lately.

The greatest part of all is the irony of it all. The same people who love to talk about their great past and tradition are the same people who can't stop complaining about their lack of recent national titles; the same people who force a national championship winning coach out the door two years after he got to an Elite Eight.

Which brings me to my next point; what gets me the most about tradition is not the schools themselves but the schools' fans. These fans believe their "tradition" gives them to right to be delusional and expect to win a national championship every year or at least make the Final Four. They are arrogant and believe that their "tradition" gives them entitlement. They are unwilling to let reality get in the way of "the way it should be". When they lose to an "inferior" program like Vanderbilt, it is a fluke, the refs or that our benches are configured funny. Coaches feel the pressure of unrealistic expectations more than anyone. Alabama football coach Nick Saban stated a few weeks ago, "Do I think we have a cultural problem here in terms of expectations? Absolutely."

If these fans want championships, they need to wake up and give a coach a chance. Kevin Stallings came to Vanderbilt in 1999 and given time look what he has done for Vanderbilt basketball.

There is so much parity in college sports nowadays that the days of the Woodens and Rupps are gone, and until these delusional fan bases realize this, stop calling for a new coach every two or three years, and allow a coach to actually build a program, there will be more of the same at Kentucky and Notre Dame: mediocrity.

This guy writes about sports in Nashville, TN, so what does he now about any kind of sport. And would someone tell me what exactly Kevin Stalling has done at Vandy? I will tell you in 10 years he has made 3 NCAA Tournaments and 4 NIT tourneys which means 3 years he missed BOTH with only 3 20 win seasons. Mr. Shockat recruits want to play at schools that can make and compete to win NCAA titles not possibly make the tourney a year or two. This guy, David, knows nothing of tradition because he does not know what that is. UK was playing for titles in the 40's, 50's, 60's, 70's, 80's and 90's. The longest drought UK has had for a final four was with Tubby Smith's last 9 years and he made 4 elite 8's. So what has UK done after Rupp well Joe B coached in 3 final 4's, 2 NCAA title game and 1 NCAA title, NIT title and 8 SEC titles and 4 time SEC coach of the year and 1 national coach of the year, 74% winning percentage at UK- 297-100; Pitino coached 3 final 4's, 2 NCAA title game, 1 NCAA title 5 SEC titles and 3 time SEC coach of the year, 74% winning percentage at UK- 219-50; Tubby coached 1 final 4, 1 NCAA title, 4 elite 8's, 5 SEC titles and 3 time SEC coach of the year, 1 Naismith college coach of the year, 76% winning percentage at UK- 263-83. At the end of 2008 UK is 2nd only to UCLA in national titles, 1st in total wins 1966, leads the NCAA in all-time winning percentage with 76% 1966-621 and is currently 2nd in NCAA tourney wins with 98 behind UNC 100. UK had 2 wins taken away. So when we delusional fans talk about tradition, this is what we mean. National titles are great but like the guy said the college game has great parity now and yet all of our coaches continue to win 3 out of ever 4 games. Look at the facts David Shochat and tell me WHAT HAVE YOU DONE LATELY?

[15th region slamdunk]

I guessing he is a VANDY fan. In that case, LMAO! This dude wants to talk tradition? PL-EASE

[true_blue221]

He is from Tennessee (a state that doesn't have tradition in any mainstream sports) .....what could you expect?

[outdoorsman43]

This is absolutely laughable. The only thing that you can knock about Kentucky's basketball program is the shape that it has been in for the last 4 years. I think John Calipari will take care of all that. ColonelKill said it best, Kentucky has been competing for championships since the 1940's and just recently got in a rough, few-year stretch.

You can't argue with tradition. There is no opinion about tradition. You either have it, or you don't. There is no overrated or underrated tradition. I'm quite sure that Vandy or whoever he may be a fan of doesn't have anything to be proud of when it comes to basketball tradition.

[under_armour]

Tradition maybe the last thing a recruit looks at. That's why you dish out the cash to get not only a premier coach, but a killer recruiter. Even if "Tradition" isn't that important, great players and a great coach can add to it.

[Spud6]

This is absolutely laughable. The only thing that you can knock about Kentucky's basketball program is the shape that it has been in for the last 4 years. I think John Calipari will take care of all that. ColonelKill said it best, Kentucky has been competing for championships since the 1940's and just recently got in a rough, few-year stretch.

You can't argue with tradition. There is no opinion about tradition. You either have it, or you don't. There is no overrated or underrated tradition. I'm quite sure that Vandy or whoever he may be a fan of doesn't have anything to be proud of when it comes to basketball tradition.

Great Post!:Thumbs:

[mrfootball03]

I'm sorry, but the Kevin Stallings Vanderbilt comment crashed any possibility of me giving any creditability to this guy. I mean ****, Vanderbilt isn't even one of the top 2 teams in Tennessee, let alone the country. lol

[The College One]

haha this is funny...everyone in the sec is scared now cause guess what team is back guys?!?!?!?

were already picked as the favorite for the sec lol..