What is Kentucky Basketball?

“It’s not a coach. It’s not a player. It’s pride, tradition. It’s a 5 year old with a cat paw on his cheek saying, “Beat Louisville!” It’s not a game. It’s not a season. It’s pride, tradition. It’s expecting to be dancing every year where most pray to be. It has no beginning. It has no end. It’s pride, tradition. It’s waiting for midnight madness when the March buzzer rings. Players that come are in awe of it. Players that leave treasure it. Players that oppose despise it. It’s pride, tradition. It’s getting the best from every opponent in hopes to top it. Rupp built it. Hall polished it. Sutton shamed it. Pitino restored it. Smith nourishes it. It’s pride, tradition. Keightly has served it. Happy sang to it. Cawood lived it. It’s pride, tradition. Digger hates it. Vitale and Packer are jealous of it. McGuire realized it. It’s pride, tradition. What is Kentucky Basketball? It’s “Blue and White” and “Go Big Blue” It’s “C!-A!-T!-S! Cats!, Cats!, Cats!” It’s pride, tradition. It’s more than a pastime It’s more than a hobby. To some it’s a religion. It’s pride, tradition. It’s K-E-N-T-U-C-K-Y on the jerseys. Win or Lose, that’s all that matters to me.”

- Kentucky is in its 106th season of basketball
- Kentucky is the all-time NCAA leader in wins with 1,985
- The Wildcats have won 7 NCAA championships
- The Wildcats have had 13 Final Four appearances
- Kentucky has made 48 NCAA Tournament appearances
- Kentucky has had the SEC Coach of the Year 33 times
- Kentucky has had the National Coach of the Year 9 times
- Over 90 Cats have been selected in the NBA Draft
- 42 retired jerseys are hanging from the Rupp Arena rafters
- Kentucky has had 46 All Americans
- There are 6 Wildcats in the Basketball Hall of Fame
- 9 player and 2 coaches have represented Kentucky in the Olympics
- There have been 12 SEC Players of the Year at Kentucky

As far as passion, that is something that is hard to quantify. Many fans seem to think that a good Kentucky team should have a few Kentucky kids on the roster that “understand the passion of Kentucky basketball…” I cannot remember the number of times that I came across a similar statement during the hours I spent researching Kentucky basketball. Passion is defined as “feeling very strongly about a subject or person, usually referring to feelings of intense desire and attraction, be very passionate about something” (Wikipedia). That’s a pretty decent summary of passion, but I still have to believe there’s more to the subject of Kentucky basketball.

In my opinion, Kentucky basketball is about winning. I believe it’s nothing more or nothing less. I believe when Kentucky is recruiting a high level of talent, winning basketball games and making historical runs through the NCAA Tournament that they are playing “Kentucky” basketball. When the team is struggling on the court, losing more than 10 games in a season and making a first or second round exit from the NCAA Tournament, then they are not playing “Kentucky” basketball.

Sources:

BluegrassPreps.com Wikipedia Wildcat Nation True Blue Kentucky