[sherman14]

Do you think UK is the best their has ever been?
NCAA pre-tournament era champions
1933
NCAA Tournament champions
1948, 1949, 1951, 1958, 1978, 1996, 1998
NCAA Tournament runner up
1966, 1975, 1997
NCAA Tournament Final Four
1942, 1948, 1949, 1951, 1958, 1966, 1975, 1978, 1984, 1993, 1996, 1997, 1998
NCAA Tournament Elite Eight
1942, 1945, 1948, 1949, 1951, 1952, 1956, 1957, 1958, 1961, 1962, 1966, 1970, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1978, 1983, 1984, 1986, 1992, 1993, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2003, 2005
NCAA Tournament appearances
1942, 1945, 1948, 1949, 1951, 1952, 1955, 1956, 1957, 1958, 1959, 1961, 1962, 1964, 1966, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1978, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008
Conference tournament champions
1933, 1937, 1939, 1940, 1942, 1944, 1945, 1946, 1947, 1948, 1949, 1950, 1952, 1984, 1986, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2001, 2003, 2004
Conference regular season champions
1933, 1935, 1937, 1939, 1940, 1942, 1944, 1945, 1946, 1947, 1948, 1949, 1950, 1951, 1952, 1954, 1955, 1957, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1966, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1978, 1980, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1986, 1995, 1996, 1998, 2000, 2001, 2003, 2005

[-STAT-]

Those are some pretty good reasons!

[frankie21]

No way they are the best. Definitely top 5, but not the best. That would belong to UCLA!!!

[Coach_Owens87]

No way they are the best. Definitely top 5, but not the best. That would belong to UCLA!!!

UCLA hasnt had the constant continued success like UK has. They were amazing during the wooden era, but really havent done much, besides the 95 title, until this recent successful streak.

Even though UCLA had the great run under wooden, UK still leads them in tournament appearances, and tournament wins, as UK ranks #1 all time, also add with that the most all time wins(prolly not for much longer), and best winning percentage, and I think UK has to be #1.

[Beetle01]

UCLA had a good run under Wooden, although it appears that after he passes away, whenever that may be, they are going to strip UCLA of the titles. There is an ongoing investigation to the fact that UCLA was paying players. BIll Walton even openly admits what was going on to this day. Even said so in a book he wrote.

[EastKyMiner]

UNC is getting ready to pass UK in all-time wins. I'd say this will happen in a two or three year time period. The Kentucky basketball program has been on a decline for around the past 5 years. I think UK basketball hasn't been the same since Rick Pitino. Yes, I understand Tubby Smith won the title in 1998, but it was with Pitino's whole team. UK just doesn't recruit well anymore. The only good recruits we have this year are Miller and Liggins, after them that's it. They need to bring in players that can play and actually make an impact on a program. IMO UK doesn't have a single guard that should be playing at UK aside from Jodie Meeks (I'll call Miller a SF). Over the past 7 to 8 years I wouldn't consider UK to be a top 15 program in the nation. They just can't compete with teams like UNC, Memphis, Duke, Kansas, Flordia, and Texas as they once did.

[dore20]

They dont have the most championships and UNC will pass them in wins id say by the end of next season. UK is NOT the greatest team in basketball. U cant even fall back on your stupid tradition to make up for how bad the team sucks now.

[bluegrassballa]

I LOVE KENTUCKY BASKETBALL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:letsparty :letsparty :letsparty :letsparty

[Coach_Owens87]

They dont have the most championships and UNC will pass them in wins id say by the end of next season. UK is NOT the greatest team in basketball. U cant even fall back on your stupid tradition to make up for how bad the team sucks now.

Who said we had the most championships? And while UK may be down, I wouldnt say they suck, they will prolly have a 20 win season, with another NCAA berth.

And it's a joke to even criticize our tradition when your avatar shows that your a Louisville fan, your program doesnt hold a candle to UK.

And if you believe UK isnt the best program, please explain who is, and stop with the silly rants and criticism.

[Beetle01]

While UK's recruiting did decline it is heavily on the up and up.
With this incoming class of Orton, Hood, and Vilarino, thats 3 positions we need help at. A true center with more upside than Morris ever had, a lights out shooter with terrific offensive abilities, and a headsy atheltic true pg.

2010 is looking good too, as almost every top 50 players that has not already commited has UK listed. Not to mention we have maybe on of the best forwards in a long time to come out of HS commited in Dominque Ferguson. I think Euton might be a let down, but KC Ross Miller is a very good scoring PG, with good handles.

[Beetle01]

I will say next year we will have a good mix of players as far as age goes. Much more talented also. We only lose Carter but we pick up 3 very talented players.
Patterson is obviously not ready for the NBA and he will be staying all 4 years it seems. He will atleast return next year.

Starters should look like the following, with backups listed

C-Orton5*/Harrelson3*
F-Patterson5*/Pilgrim4*/Stevenson3* All 5 of these players will be mixed in
F-Miller4*/Harris3*/Galloway4*
G-Meeks5*/Hood5*
PG-Liggins5*/Vilarino4*/Porter4*

Looking solid, Vilarino has incredible handles, Hood is gonna be the best scorer we've had in a long time. Miller has already shown he is going to be a beast. And Orton, well he may be the best center UK may have ever had. He still has a long way to go, but his athleticism and size are unreal. He has a knee problem, but with UK's staff he should do much better, he just underwent preventive surgery and gave up his senior year of HS so that he will be 10 times healthier when he is at UK and in the NBA. Not to mention, alot of people who watch practice say Pilgrim may be the best player on the team. He bangs inside with Patterson and can stroke the 3. Youtube him if you want and watch some vids on him.

[StrikeoutKing]

UNC is getting ready to pass UK in all-time wins. I'd say this will happen in a two or three year time period. The Kentucky basketball program has been on a decline for around the past 5 years. I think UK basketball hasn't been the same since Rick Pitino. Yes, I understand Tubby Smith won the title in 1998, but it was with Pitino's whole team. UK just doesn't recruit well anymore. The only good recruits we have this year are Miller and Liggins, after them that's it. They need to bring in players that can play and actually make an impact on a program. IMO UK doesn't have a single guard that should be playing at UK aside from Jodie Meeks (I'll call Miller a SF). Over the past 7 to 8 years I wouldn't consider UK to be a top 15 program in the nation. They just can't compete with teams like UNC, Memphis, Duke, Kansas, Flordia, and Texas as they once did.

The thread was about the best program of "all time," not the past 7-8 years. Kentucky is the best college basketball program of ALL TIME. I'm a die hard Kentucky fan, but I'm not one of those who thinks Kentucky is the greatest and can do no wrong. Kentucky is #1 in all-time wins, #1 in tournament appearances, #1 in tournament wins, #2 in National Championships, and #2-3 (I can't quite recall) in Final Four appearances. Now...North Carolina will surpass Kentucky in most wins before the end of next season, so what! No program has had the consistent success decade after decade that Kentucky has had. UCLA had a tremendous run under John Wooden, but what have they done since he left? One National Championship and 3 consecutive Final Fours, with what to show for them? Look at the numbers posted in the first post...since the 1940s, Kentucky has made a Final Four in EVERY DECADE!!! Name a program that can make that statement. Maybe North Carolina, possibly UCLA, I'm not 100% sure. They have appeared in 17 straight NCAA Tournaments. Yes, they have been 'down' the last few years by UK standards, but the last few seasons should not diminsh what coaches, players, administration, and fans have helped build overthe past 100+ years! Kentucky basketball IS college basketball, and forever it shall remain!!!!

[sherman14]

The thread was about the best program of "all time," not the past 7-8 years. Kentucky is the best college basketball program of ALL TIME. I'm a die hard Kentucky fan, but I'm not one of those who thinks Kentucky is the greatest and can do no wrong. Kentucky is #1 in all-time wins, #1 in tournament appearances, #1 in tournament wins, #2 in National Championships, and #2-3 (I can't quite recall) in Final Four appearances. Now...North Carolina will surpass Kentucky in most wins before the end of next season, so what! No program has had the consistent success decade after decade that Kentucky has had. UCLA had a tremendous run under John Wooden, but what have they done since he left? One National Championship and 3 consecutive Final Fours, with what to show for them? Look at the numbers posted in the first post...since the 1940s, Kentucky has made a Final Four in EVERY DECADE!!! Name a program that can make that statement. Maybe North Carolina, possibly UCLA, I'm not 100% sure. They have appeared in 17 straight NCAA Tournaments. Yes, they have been 'down' the last few years by UK standards, but the last few seasons should not diminsh what coaches, players, administration, and fans have helped build overthe past 100+ years! Kentucky basketball IS college basketball, and forever it shall remain!!!!

Great Post. And UK is also the 43 TIME SEC CHAMPS.

[StrikeoutKing]

Great Post. And UK is also the 43 TIME SEC CHAMPS.

I wasn't forgetting the conference titles, I just figured to make a case for best program on a national level, national titles, final fours and so forth would be more suitable. There's no doubt Kentucky is the best program in the SEC!

[sherman14]

Thanks strikeoutking

[Benchwarmer]

The thread was about the best program of "all time," not the past 7-8 years. Kentucky is the best college basketball program of ALL TIME. I'm a die hard Kentucky fan, but I'm not one of those who thinks Kentucky is the greatest and can do no wrong. Kentucky is #1 in all-time wins, #1 in tournament appearances, #1 in tournament wins, #2 in National Championships, and #2-3 (I can't quite recall) in Final Four appearances. Now...North Carolina will surpass Kentucky in most wins before the end of next season, so what! No program has had the consistent success decade after decade that Kentucky has had. UCLA had a tremendous run under John Wooden, but what have they done since he left? One National Championship and 3 consecutive Final Fours, with what to show for them? Look at the numbers posted in the first post...since the 1940s, Kentucky has made a Final Four in EVERY DECADE!!! Name a program that can make that statement. Maybe North Carolina, possibly UCLA, I'm not 100% sure. They have appeared in 17 straight NCAA Tournaments. Yes, they have been 'down' the last few years by UK standards, but the last few seasons should not diminsh what coaches, players, administration, and fans have helped build overthe past 100+ years! Kentucky basketball IS college basketball, and forever it shall remain!!!!

Good reply

[dblg11]

They dont have the most championships and UNC will pass them in wins id say by the end of next season. UK is NOT the greatest team in basketball. U cant even fall back on your stupid tradition to make up for how bad the team sucks now.

You have to be an idiot. Your a Louisville fan and your downing Kentucky basketball, that's hilarious. At least Kentucky has a tradition, unlike the Cards. Wow, some people just amaze me at how oblivious they are to the world of sports. If you know nothing about sports, which you obviously don't, don't go posting in the threads. The things certain people say make them look so d*mn stupid.

[StrikeoutKing]

Here are some numbers I found:

UCLA has been to a Final Four every decade since the 1960s (however, the 1980 Final Four was vacated by the NCAA). They have 18 Final Four appearances all together, but without John Wooden, they only have 6. You take John Wooden out of UCLA, you only have 6 Final Fours and 1 National Championship. John Wooden was UCLA. Even after Adolph Rupp, Kentucky continued to win, and win, and win.

North Carolina has appeared in a Final Four in every decade since the 1940s, like Kentucky. They have appeared in 17 overall. But, just like UCLA, North Carolina has one coach that has defined their program...Dean Smith. Take Smith out of North Carolina, and what do you have? 6 Final Fours, and 2 National Champions (out of a total of 4). Roy Williams is certainly doing a heck of a job, but up to this point, without Dean Smith, North Carolina doesn't come close to UK. Again...Kentucky has continued to win consistently.

Indiana has appeared in 8 Final Fours and won 5 National Championships. Bob Knight? He accounted for 5 Final Fours and 3 National Championships. Indiana, without Knight, played in only 3 Final Fours and won 2 National Titles. Kentucky? They've kept winning.

Kansas may be an exception. Kansas has 13 Final Four appearances and 3 National Championships. Phog Allen is the coach credited with Kansas' arrival on the national scene. He led Kansas to 3 Final Fours and 1 National Championship. What does that mean? Kansas has played in 10 Final Fours and won 2 National Titles since his retirement in 1956. They have kept winning, but went 14 years between Final Four appearances (1957-71). Kentucky's longest stretch is currently 11 (previous long was 9 (1966-75, 1984-93).

Now...Kentucky, like most major basketball programs, is associated with one coach in particular, and that is of course Adolph Rupp. Like I mentioned before, UK has been to a Final Four every decade since the 1940s. Kentucky has appeared in 13 Final Fours. Rupp led them to 6, which means even after the Baron left, UK has managed to advance to 7 more. Rupp also led UK to 4 National Championships. Since then, they've won 3. They have continued to win even after their "identity" left back in 1972. The only real argument I can think of would be Kansas. But even they don't have the wins, NCAA tournament appearances, tournament wins, national championships, and overall wins that Kentucky has.

Dean Smith and John Wooden were excellent coaches, and UCLA and North Carolina are top notch programs, without question. But they are "above average" without Smith and Wooden's numbers. Kentucky has kept on winning with coaches other than Rupp on the sideline.

[frankie21]

UCLA hasnt had the constant continued success like UK has. They were amazing during the wooden era, but really havent done much, besides the 95 title, until this recent successful streak.

Even though UCLA had the great run under wooden, UK still leads them in tournament appearances, and tournament wins, as UK ranks #1 all time, also add with that the most all time wins(prolly not for much longer), and best winning percentage, and I think UK has to be #1.

But that means nothing unless you win them. Which UCLA has won more with 11 and UK with 7.
I think the best program ever should be the one who has had the most success. Which would be um......UCLA!

[frankie21]

Here are some numbers I found:

UCLA has been to a Final Four every decade since the 1960s (however, the 1980 Final Four was vacated by the NCAA). They have 18 Final Four appearances all together, but without John Wooden, they only have 6. You take John Wooden out of UCLA, you only have 6 Final Fours and 1 National Championship. John Wooden was UCLA. Even after Adolph Rupp, Kentucky continued to win, and win, and win.

North Carolina has appeared in a Final Four in every decade since the 1940s, like Kentucky. They have appeared in 17 overall. But, just like UCLA, North Carolina has one coach that has defined their program...Dean Smith. Take Smith out of North Carolina, and what do you have? 6 Final Fours, and 2 National Champions (out of a total of 4). Roy Williams is certainly doing a heck of a job, but up to this point, without Dean Smith, North Carolina doesn't come close to UK. Again...Kentucky has continued to win consistently.

Indiana has appeared in 8 Final Fours and won 5 National Championships. Bob Knight? He accounted for 5 Final Fours and 3 National Championships. Indiana, without Knight, played in only 3 Final Fours and won 2 National Titles. Kentucky? They've kept winning.

Kansas may be an exception. Kansas has 13 Final Four appearances and 3 National Championships. Phog Allen is the coach credited with Kansas' arrival on the national scene. He led Kansas to 3 Final Fours and 1 National Championship. What does that mean? Kansas has played in 10 Final Fours and won 2 National Titles since his retirement in 1956. They have kept winning, but went 14 years between Final Four appearances (1957-71). Kentucky's longest stretch is currently 11 (previous long was 9 (1966-75, 1984-93).

Now...Kentucky, like most major basketball programs, is associated with one coach in particular, and that is of course Adolph Rupp. Like I mentioned before, UK has been to a Final Four every decade since the 1940s. Kentucky has appeared in 13 Final Fours. Rupp led them to 6, which means even after the Baron left, UK has managed to advance to 7 more. Rupp also led UK to 4 National Championships. Since then, they've won 3. They have continued to win even after their "identity" left back in 1972. The only real argument I can think of would be Kansas. But even they don't have the wins, NCAA tournament appearances, tournament wins, national championships, and overall wins that Kentucky has.

Dean Smith and John Wooden were excellent coaches, and UCLA and North Carolina are top notch programs, without question. But they are "above average" without Smith and Wooden's numbers. Kentucky has kept on winning with coaches other than Rupp on the sideline.

Ok well take Rupp away and they only have three. Even if you take away the coaches that are the face of the program UK still isn't number 1. Take away Rupp and Wooden's titles and UCLA has twice as many so. And wins are nice and all but they mean nothing without the trophies to back them up.

But very nice research.

[king360]

Who said we had the most championships? And while UK may be down, I wouldnt say they suck, they will prolly have a 20 win season, with another NCAA berth.

And it's a joke to even criticize our tradition when your avatar shows that your a Louisville fan, your program doesnt hold a candle to UK.

And if you believe UK isnt the best program, please explain who is, and stop with the silly rants and criticism.

UK will not win 20 games..

[dore20]

Who said we had the most championships? And while UK may be down, I wouldnt say they suck, they will prolly have a 20 win season, with another NCAA berth.

And it's a joke to even criticize our tradition when your avatar shows that your a Louisville fan, your program doesnt hold a candle to UK.

And if you believe UK isnt the best program, please explain who is, and stop with the silly rants and criticism.

Did i say anything about U of L's tradition? NO! You all make threads like this about your tradition and so on because you cant deal with the fact that in there here and now your team is not ****. Plus i would rather have UNC, DUKE, and UCLA before UK.

[dore20]

You have to be an idiot. Your a Louisville fan and your downing Kentucky basketball, that's hilarious. At least Kentucky has a tradition, unlike the Cards. Wow, some people just amaze me at how oblivious they are to the world of sports. If you know nothing about sports, which you obviously don't, don't go posting in the threads. The things certain people say make them look so d*mn stupid.

I am a idiot? no bub that would be you for cheering for uk basketball. And say what you want about your tradition and the ville's but we are still going to kick uk's A** all over the court this year!!!

[sherman14]

Ok well take Rupp away and they only have three. Even if you take away the coaches that are the face of the program UK still isn't number 1. Take away Rupp and Wooden's titles and UCLA has twice as many so. And wins are nice and all but they mean nothing without the trophies to back them up.

But very nice research.

We have the **** trophies to back it up. The only team with more is UCLA. 7 Times we have backed it up with titels. We just don't run our mouth and say we are the greatest we have cold hard facts. Statistics that will never be matched. UK is and forever will be THE GREATEST TEAM OF ALL TIME!

[ballcrazy]

Ucla!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!.

[pruitt#10]

Kentuckys has the best HISTORY
they've gone downhill the last decade or so

[kyrifle]

Ok well take Rupp away and they only have three. Even if you take away the coaches that are the face of the program UK still isn't number 1. Take away Rupp and Wooden's titles and UCLA has twice as many so. And wins are nice and all but they mean nothing without the trophies to back them up.

But very nice research.

If you take away Rupp's titles (4) and Wooden's titles (10) then Ky would be the winner here since Ky has had 3 different coaches win a national title and UCLA has had only 1 title since Wooden retired.
Ky is by far the team with the best tradition in college basketball. Tradition only carries you so far. Ky hasn't had a championship calliber team since 1998.
By the way UCLA has 11 titles to Ky's 7.