FROM A UK FAN

[PORKULATOR]

I love beating UK. I like to beat the best.
I like seeing Calipucky lose. It pleases me.
I do respect Kentucky Basketball a bunch and even Cal some... Some

[870hogfan]

I'm a realist. What kind of players??? Good ones??? Man, I wish we'd get a few more of those. I wish Anderson could recruit but it's obvious that he's sticking to the 3-4 yr model on players. God, I hope Malik comes, I bet he won't need a year to get good.

Kentucky will choke in the NCAAT...

[gmarv]

It's your coach. You can defend him all you want but he hasn't left a college program without his banners taken down soon after. He is now at a job where the chances of him being caught are slim. The guy is a slime bucket.

you can build your so called coach up as much as you want but.you know, we all know ky has sold the schools soul to the devil. cals a proven cheater and what do cheaters do they cheat.

[31to6]

Look I am a life long UK fan...UK basketball is a religion to me like most UK fans.  I have noticed something over the last few days leading up to this game that kind of shocked me.  I am amazed at how much you guys really hate UK.  I mean listen, its not like there is a love loss with us and Arkansas..in fact its a rivalry so I loved yesterday. 

Most of the hate is because of Calipari, not UK itself.

Your coach is dirty.

*shrug*

[hogpc]

Personally I don't hate UK, except on game day. Other than that I like to see them win, they do a lot for the SEC. I am looking forward to us getting back and having great games year in and year out.  Glad we've beaten you 4 out of the last 6, hope we do that well in the next 6 games!  When I lived in TN in the early to mid 90's I knew several guys from KY. They were all class, we threw a few friendly barbs at one another!  Good luck in the NCAA tournament, if we can't win it UK is my next choice.

[rowdy1]

Great note from a UK fan and a true sport.  Hog fans show some respect and learn.

[hawg66]

If only we would kiss their butt before the game and thank them for beating us.  man, we'd for sure be classy then.

[MissippHog]

If you haven't noticed, we pretty much dislike everyone, including ourselves at times. 

[wheelspigharvey]

If only we would kiss their butt before the game and thank them for beating us.  man, we'd for sure be classy then.

[pigroots]

Kentucky is my 2nd favorite team....far behind the Hogs. If we don't win it hope you guys do for the sake of the SEC. I even managed to go to the national championship game last year...BUT I don't care for Calipari. He got to Kentucky breaking the rules. He may not have to now that he is there because Ky recruits itself. Still like you guys and the tradition and I believe KY needs Arkansas to be relevant for a rivalry within the conference. We need KY to try to maintain the conferences national respect as well as someone to shoot at. Hope to see y'all in tourney final

[Razorback_Mack]

Like I said...Good luck to Arkansas.  Haters will hate.  75% of the posts on here seem to be logical people who understand the landscape of todays version of college basketball.  Nobody (not even UK fans) like one and done.  However until they change the rule, if your coach is not focuses on getting kids into the NBA then the top players are not coming to your school.

It sucks..I AGREE...I miss the 3-4 year players, but those days are gone.  So hate UK and Calipari for understanding the mindset of all the top high school players, but I promise you.  Yes I promise you...that if Mike Anderson brought in 5 kids next year that were in the top 10 your fans would be so damn excited it would be nuts.  All 5 would go pro and your fan base would love it because you would be on top of the mountain.

The problem is that's not happening right now at Arkansas so you blame the system on UK.  Kansas had the top two draft picks in the NBA last year - y not get pissed at them. Why isn't Self labeled the same way?

Calipari just does it better than everyone else.  So therefore he is the villain. 

Is Mike Anderson even trying to recruit the best of the best players in high school?

To repeat - agreed...the system sucks.  And for the record this years UK team only has 4 Freshman....7 of their players are not one and done. 

Good luck guys!!  I really do hope Arkansas makes a long run and continues to be a ranked team for years to come.

Take the blinders off. Altered ACT scores, players have been paid, stars relatives have been paid in the past under cal's watch. Why would anyone who likes amateur athletics like a man that does that? Respectfully, I'd say you need to take an ethics class in college or go to church tonight.

[770john111]

Boooo get off the board. Lol

[hoghiker]

 If you think Arkansas fans are in the vanguard of disrespect to Kentucky, you have misread the tea leaves. Check out the Rolling Stone piece on your school's team. You've got a bigger image problem than what Arkansas' fans conjure up I can assure you. We may be a little more attuned to Calipari's game because we got to watch what was going on while he was our neighbor  in Memphis.

[Kevin]

Hate is a strong word. I don't respect anything that has to do with basketball that calipari does

[roothawg]

UK has the best players money can buy. Nothing honest about your coach.

[Birminghog]

I don't hate UK.  I have some friends who are big UK fans, and I used to root along with them when they weren't playing the Hogs.  Then you hired Cal. Okay, maybe Cal has seen the light and reformed.  If so, great. The fact remains that he had a checkered past. Frankly, I was surprised UK hired him, because I thought they were above that.

Still don't hate UK, but aside from when they play non-SEC teams, I can't root for them until either Cal is not there or I am convinced that he no longer engages in behavior that he has been known for at other schools and for which those schools have been punished. No doubt that he is a terrific recruiter and a heck of a coach - I simply think college sports should hold themselves to a higher standard.

[Sigepgator702]

Why would we cheer for Kentucky?  That reminds me of people who ask why don't we cheer for Alabama in football?  We are tired of the powerhouse programs coming into our state and stealing some of our talent!  We are at disadvantage in most sports and the rich continue to get richer.  I cheer against these greedy schools that steal our talent, only to have them be supporting players on their talent filled rosters.

[HAM ELLIOT]

Im not a UK hater.. In fact, i'm jealous of Ky, I admit it. I miss the days of the UK vs Ark Rivalry.    I want our program back to where it use to be. Hopefully we are on our way!  With that being said, I cannot express how happy I was last year sweeping your @$$'s!   Felt great!

[Hogsmo Kramer]

I don't hate Kentucky as a program but I wouldn't piss down Cal's throat if his stomach was on fire.

The guy is a complete shite bag.

[Westcoasthog]

    Dr. Stares  The SEC cares about Arkansas. 

[PonderinHog]

I don't hate Kentucky as a program but I wouldn't piss down Cal's throat if his stomach was on fire.

The guy is a complete shite bag.

For people from the Memphis area, it's personal.

[Hogsmo Kramer]

For people from the Memphis area, it's personal.

Sho right it is, damn personal.

[PonderinHog]

Sho right it is, damn personal.

I've never liked him.

[Hogsmo Kramer]

I've never liked him.

He's the debil fo real.

[Nipsey Mussle]

If you haven't noticed, we pretty much dislike everyone, including ourselves at times.

Except our bball fans LOVE the other coaches in the SEC (except Cal). They talk up Frank M., Stallings, et al and would burn MA at the stake if we performed like their teams.

[MountieDawg]

Kentucky doesn't really fit the stereotype, either. We say "the scourge of the one and dones" and "the one and done is ruining college basketball." You've got all these players going to Kentucky, they have sacrificed their minutes, they have sacrificed scoring, and they are winning. They play together, they play hard and they share the ball. How many guys at Kentucky have been suspended? None. How many have been arrested? None. They are doing it the right way. You don't like it, that's your business. But I'll tell you what, those are really good kids that have done a great job. And if they'd done it somewhere else, everybody would be praising the sacrifice and what great kids and all that stuff.

That is not from me but from a former Duke player...Jay Bilas

[The Boar War]

Let me add one final thought. I do not believe Cal is currently cheating. He doesn't have to. ESPN pimps UK for him to recruits, he's got an open door policy with the NBA brass, and players know going to UK for a year is the most sure fire way to be one and done, as a first round pick.

Most programs that cheat successfully don't have to cheat.  Do you think Auburn has to cheat to get good players?  No.  Do you think they're clean?  Same goes for OSU and Bama and Kentucky in basketball.  Part of it is self fulfilling.  Kentucky fans are used to top rated classes.  How do you think they would feel if all of a sudden they weren't signing those classes?  Not only would they get restless but they would necessarily lose more games.  Cal can't allow that to happen.

Even if the leopard changed his spots it's hard to sell the idea that UK boosters aren't handing out benefits.  People talk about SMU.  Uk got the death penalty as well and should have gotten it twice.

[Pyotr Tchaikhogsky]

Don't take it personally, OP.

I hate everyone in the SEC.

[greasy_corner]

calamari was a pos at umass, and had his cult followers.

calamari was a pos at memphis state, and had his cult followers.

calamari is a pos at uk, and has his cult followers.

only thing you are missing is the revocation of wins.  it's coming.  hang on.

[HF#1]

I don't hate Kentucky.  Really don't even hate Calipari.  He has a pipeline to the NBA and even if you think it isn't legit, it's yet to be proven.  Calipari uses all the resources available to him.  Phil Jackson was at the game yesterday.  If you are an elite recruit, that's pretty irresistible. 

Next year he will lose all of that talent and have to start over.  If the group coming in isn't as talented, Kentucky won't be as good and probably pretty beatable.  We beat them twice last year.  They don't scare me at all. 

[Thepigdoctor]

Kentucky doesn't really fit the stereotype, either. We say "the scourge of the one and dones" and "the one and done is ruining college basketball." You've got all these players going to Kentucky, they have sacrificed their minutes, they have sacrificed scoring, and they are winning. They play together, they play hard and they share the ball. How many guys at Kentucky have been suspended? None. How many have been arrested? None. They are doing it the right way. You don't like it, that's your business. But I'll tell you what, those are really good kids that have done a great job. And if they'd done it somewhere else, everybody would be praising the sacrifice and what great kids and all that stuff.

That is not from me but from a former Duke player...Jay Bilas

There are some great points raised. Something I'd add, for all those who say they don't go to class, etc, etc...well at least some of them have been because only 25% of their current team are freshmen. So some of those potential one and done's have stayed and have been attending some form of class, or they wouldn't be playing.

[Overtheroadtruckdriver]

Rutgers Al,

When did you move to kentucky?

We hate the Judds.  They are ruining college basketball.

Does that make sense?

Lamar

[Biggus Piggus]

Look I am a life long UK fan...UK basketball is a religion to me like most UK fans.  I have noticed something over the last few days leading up to this game that kind of shocked me.  I am amazed at how much you guys really hate UK.  I mean listen, its not like there is a love loss with us and Arkansas..in fact its a rivalry so I loved yesterday.  I was laughing because of all the trash talk Arkansas fans were doing.  Quite frankly never seen a 17 pt underdog at Rupp talk so much trash as you guys did but....

Well holy hell, you made this bed, now you have to lie in it. Kentucky is willing to push all the limits, bend all the rules and break some of them to try to be the best in college basketball. You made it so important that you have no regard for normal standards. You hired a twice-convicted cheater to be your head coach, because you thought Tubby Smith was too ethical. And now you want everybody to lie back and take their beatings. No. Kentucky is hated because Kentucky is destroying the game. Thanks a lot. If the only game you like is the one in which you've guaranteed yourselves success at the expense of all morality, congratulations. You have it. If the NCAA were not toothless as it has become, UK would be on another five-year probation binge once again. Go away.

[hawg66]

Like a lot of the posters here, I have friends from Kentucky who are huge UK fans and great guys.  They thought the same thing about Cal as the rest of CBB, until he became their coach. I remind them of it often.

[Nipsey Mussle]

Rutgers Al,

When did you move to kentucky?

We hate the Judds.  They are ruining college basketball.

Does that make sense?

Lamar

Well said

[Randy Johnson]

kill this thread hog fans

[beatdrum]

I'd also like to add that in some ways, loading one team with nine McDonalds All-Americans takes away from the parity & purity of the game. I see it sometimes in youth baseball when a coach loads his team with the local all-stars and celebrates when they beat the teams that have kids who are made up of a mix of kids-from really talented to first time players. I don't have the animosity towards KU and Coach Cal that some posters here do. It just seems that it would take something away from the championship when you just load one team with all that talent. Maybe I'm wrong though...

[AugustaHog]

OP, I have always felt about UK like you have stated you feel about Arkansas.  I have always had a certain level of respect, especially through those 90's battles.  Now that you guys have Calipari though, I just can't bring myself to even be apathetic to your team.  I despise that guy so much (always have going back to UMass and of course Memphis) that I have to root heartily against UK each time you play.  He's a slimeball of the highest degree.  When he leaves, I suppose my feelings about UK will return to the pre-Cal state.

[latrops]

The only reason UK is so tough this year is several key players DIDN'T go the one and done route.  WCS is a junior.  How good would Bobby be if he came back next year.? 

This UK team is more traditional than it is given credit for.

Indeed.  You keep hearing about how Cal and his "one and dones" are ruining college basketball.  The people that say that always fail to mention that UK is starting 3 players that have been there at least a year. 

That said, I hope Kentucky loses in the SECT and in the NCAAT.  I'll pull for Georgia against them, too.  I don't hate Kentucky, but them consistently making Final Fours is bad for us....and every other program in the country.  It only makes it easier for them to continue getting the top class year after year.  They need competition, and not just from us. 

[hobhog]

I was a Tubby Smith fan. Does that help?

[BBN4Life]

i came to this board to tell you how much your team impressed me on Saturday.  They never showed any quit and kept fighting when they got behind.  They took a 31-point UK lead and cut it by 14 points to a final margin of 17.  That, my friends, is a sign of a good team and you win with a run like that 80% of the time.  Bobby Portis is the real deal and I would not be at all surprised to see him named SEC POY.

I have always been very impressed with your fanbase as well.  Arkansas fans are among the most passionate and knowledgeable that I have encountered.  With that being said, however, some of the Hog fans on this board really surprised me with their hostility toward Calipari and UK in general.  I am going to address a couple of issues with THOSE fans, but not the majority of Arkansas supporters.  And I would remind the good fans to keep backing your team and fight the good fight.  And remember that we all have our idiot fans who spew nonsense and embarrass the fanbase.  Believe me, Kentucky certainly has its share (as beautifully demonstrated on the Cats' Pause and Rupp's Rafters message boards) that give the rest of us a bad reputation.  But, like Arkansas fans, the nitwits are in the vast minority but have a much louder voice now thanks to the digital age.  Every UK fan I know personally has the utmost respect for your program and UK/Arkansas was one of our favorite rivalries during the heyday of the 90s.  Many kids who played on school teams and playgrounds with me back then pretended not only to be UK players but also greats like Scotty Thurman, Big Nasty Corliss Williamson and Corey Beck.

For the "fans" trashing UK and John Calipari, I offer there points:
1) You love to say that Cal cheats, is a sleaze ball and that UK has sold its soul to the devil.  This "argument" is tired and played out as well as  dry easily dismissed.  Show me just ONE link to an article, news story,etc., that Cal was found guilty or even IMPLICATED of any wrongdoing during his career.  And don't even try to tell anybody that Marcus Camby taking money from an agent while at UMass or Derrick Rose having someone else take his SAT for him to support your position.  The NCAA did not pursue Calipari in either case and even royally screwed Memphis by clearing Rose not once, but TWICE, before he played for the Tigers.
The next thing that makes me laugh is the claim that UK is killing college basketball and somehow cheating by using one and done players.  While many of their players do leave after one year, many others return to school.  Look at players like Terrence Jones and Doron Lamb who could have been first-round picks but returned for their sophomore season to win the national championship.  Further examples would be the Harrisons, Dakari Johnson, and Marcus Lee who played in the title game last season and, with the possible exception of Lee, could have also been first-round NBA draft picks.  All of beer players returned for their sophomore season and are now playing for team that is 29-0.  An even better example is Alex Poythress.  Poythress passed up the NBA twice to improve his game but, more importantly, comets his education (he is a 4.0 student).  And then there is Willie.  He came in with Poythress, Archie Goodwin and Nerlens Noel and also twice passed on being a first-round draft pick and is now in the discussion for NPOY.  So to say that Cal only recruits one and one players is pretty silly, given the success that he has had with players like these.
The final thing that really grabbed my attention was the statement about the meltdown in Kentucky if this team doesn't win the championship.  This is an absolutely ludicrous assertion.  As I said above, all fanbases have their share of nut jobs but  99% of UK fans will be happy with this season regardless of the final outcome.  The best start in school history, possibly the most exciting season of our lifetime and a collection of some of the most beloved players in program history will be celebrated by any reasonable fan.

I finally want to give a big shoutout to MissippHog, whose post made me LOL in the good way.  Well done, my friend!

[Hog_Swanson]

WOW... We have some hurt feeling up in here.  WooPig.

[Hogs-n-Roses]

This is not just a Calipari thang. Google NCAA probation basketball Kentucky. This is where the dislike comes from. Cheated throughout their history. The current depth at which KY is doing it and the horrible results to the game are summed up best by Bobby Knight. The SEC and NCAA are gutless for allowing it but hey if Bama and several others in the other sport are allowed to do it then cheat away.

[Hogfan1660]

I personally don't hate Kentucky and always look forward to playing you guys. Everyone just loves to hate the team that is dominating everyone so don't pay much attention to what most people are saying. We have had a ton of great games in the 90's and look forward to finally getting back to having a real rivalry in the future.

[donk]

it's a combination of things.  But mostly your arrogant fans like you.  You wouldn't be on our board if you had lost.  And every college fan hates your coach.

[HamIAm]

Look I am a life long UK fan...UK basketball is a religion to me like most UK fans.  I have noticed something over the last few days leading up to this game that kind of shocked me.  I am amazed at how much you guys really hate UK.  I mean listen, its not like there is a love loss with us and Arkansas..in fact its a rivalry so I loved yesterday.  I was laughing because of all the trash talk Arkansas fans were doing.  Quite frankly never seen a 17 pt underdog at Rupp talk so much trash as you guys did but....

I think the line was 10 points when we beat you in Lexington last year.  So what if you were favored by double digits.  We were promised a good beatdown when we got to Kentucky.   Was there any respect for Arkansas' win at Fayetteville?  No, it was all about how we played dirty and the referees gave us the game. Duh, who don't they favor at home in the SEC.  Yet you still lost at home to a double digit underdog that you planned to teach a lesson.

Truth is most Hog basketball fans love the series and are glad to be in the same conference.  But if you take off your blue tinted glasses and read Rupps Rafters you can find the same kind of disrespect for the Hogs.  It's just part of being a fan.

I think we have more problems with Cal than with Kentucky.  We have a history with Cal (and his assistants) .  Arkansas - Memphis was pretty heated series.  While Calipari was there, Tony Barbee, who is now a special assistant to Calipari at Kentucky, had to write a letter of apology to Richardson and Razorback player JJ Sullinger over an incident during the game where Barbee shoved Sullinger after he went out of bounds. An incident that was replayed repeatedly on tv during the game.

Arkansas more than held their own in the series series with Memphis. It was often a nationally televised game at a time when there weren't as many games on tv.  While Calipari was at Memphis the series record was 2-2. Yet Calipari announced an end to the series saying they wanted to play teams with national relevance and that Arkansas didn't have any.  (paraphrased). Nevermind that Arkansas' Coach Richardson had a national title and he didn't. (Yes, I know Richardson was not there for the last 2 years of the series during which Memphis was still 1-1 and Arkansas still has a national championship banner).

We used to recruit Memphis, but Calipari so poisoned the waters over there through High School coaches and mass media that we don't recruit there as often now.

Forgive us for not being enamored with Calipari and the Kentucky team. 

Congratulations on the win and the next time we play expect an equal amount of smack coming from our direction.

[wheelspigharvey]

it's a combination of things.  But mostly your arrogant fans like you.  You wouldn't be on our board if you had lost.  And every college fan hates your coach.

Seriously, this speaks to either total arrogance or a total lack of awareness.  "We just whooped you, why don't you love us?"

[hoghiker]

There are some great points raised. Something I'd add, for all those who say they don't go to class, etc, etc...well at least some of them have been because only 25% of their current team are freshmen. So some of those potential one and done's have stayed and have been attending some form of class, or they wouldn't be playing.

They all go to class if you consider sitting behind a monitor and tapping a keyboard as going to class. It's my understanding they all do this because Calipari has a preference for it. They would be a distraction in class is his reasoning. Much like Sumlin did with Johnny Football. For all those folks that think Cal is a dirtbag. Think about it. He cares so much for those students in class that he doesn't want his players creating a distraction. He's a giver.

[PonderinHog]

So, can you attend the University of Phoenix while playing basketball for UK

[Tripod1]

Everyone dislikes the one at the top.  You also have to understand we have some fans that are totally out of touch with reality.