For Dyed-In-The-Wool Kentucky Fans Only

[George]

I'm a little torn on this one. I fully understand the sentiment of having in-state kids on the team, I see the stats about not having won a title without in-state kids and I totally recognize the contributions of Hawkins and Willis ... and Darrius Miller on the last title team. I mean, yes, I get it. But, I am not sure this is a very productive thread -- especially this time of year. Fact is, we need a huge contribution from 7 or 8 guys if we are going to win number 9, and most of those kids are not from Kentucky.

I consider myself as big a Kentucky fan as anyone. I will spare you the details, but they could fill volumes. And, I have never lived in Kentucky.

Another very troubling reality is that, for the most part, the state of Kentucky is not producing much basketball talent these days. When is the last time the Kentucky high school kids beat the Indiana high school kids? When is the last time they even came close? Do not get me wrong -- while I live in Indiana, and always have, I pull for Kentucky even in the HS all-star game. Ironically, over the past decade or so, the state of Kentucky has produced WAY more football talent than basketball talent, and I do not think it is even close. Folks may call us a "basketball school," but Kentucky has become more of a football state.

So yeah, in-state kids are GREAT. And in-state kids fully understand what that name on the FRONT of the jersey represents. And it is fun to pull for those kids and so gratifying to see them do well, as Hawkins and Willis are doing now. But, it looks like we are going to be dependent on those burger boys for the foreseeable future. We need to make them feel welcome and at home.

My intent wasn't to prove anything. The title, too, is a joke. Just a thread for people to get sentimental if they want to.

[Joneslab]

JP Blevins disagrees about the necessity of having in-state players getting significant minutes....

Blevins might be on this team and fill an important role.

When he was playing he had to carry too much of the load. The thing about Cal's teams is that they have top-shelf talent, so these in-state kids can come in and play necessary roles later in their careers.

Problem is it's hard to walk into a living room, even in Kentucky, and convince mom and dad that your son can be a role player by the time he's a junior.

[Spiritof96]

Blevins might be on this team and fill an important role.

When he was playing he had to carry too much of the load. The thing about Cal's teams is that they have top-shelf talent, so these in-state kids can come in and play necessary roles later in their careers.

Problem is it's hard to walk into a living room, even in Kentucky, and convince mom and dad that your son can be a role player by the time he's a junior.

No he wouldn't. Brad would have more minutes.

The point is, yes it's great to have KY players if they can play. If they can't who cares?

[GOCAT15]

Blevins might be on this team and fill an important role.

When he was playing he had to carry too much of the load. The thing about Cal's teams is that they have top-shelf talent, so these in-state kids can come in and play necessary roles later in their careers.

Problem is it's hard to walk into a living room, even in Kentucky, and convince mom and dad that your son can be a role player by the time he's a junior.

With that said, Willis and Hawkins should be a topic of that discussion to show what can happen.

Do you think Hawkins would've rather been a 4 year starter at western Ky, or have the experience that he has had at UK. I would think the notoriety of being a UK alumni that actually contributed on the court can't hurt you when you start your professional career in the workforce either.

[Joneslab]

No he wouldn't. Brad would have more minutes.

Maybe. Impossible to say. He contributed, particularly in his sophomore year, but the teams he contributed on were pretty mediocre.

My point wasn't really about J.P. Blevins but just Kentucky players generally that we've seen over the last 20, 25 years. You put a lot of those guys with better player and suddenly you see more production. Dom Hawkins in 2000 is probably a guy who struggles quite a bit; Dom Hawkins with this bunch can contribute, because the other guys drag him forward.

I have no hard thoughts on Kentucky players one way or another. It's good to see them perform well but I don't have more of an emotional attachment to them than I do the others.

I have an emotional attachment to Hawkins personally because he plays incredibly hard, he plays the game with a smile, and he will give you 100% all the time. But the same can be said about guys who weren't from Kentucky. Michael Kidd-Gilchrist comes immediately to mind.

[Joneslab]

It's also clear that Hawkins and Willis have become essential for this team.

That's the part that's very rare not only in the Calipari era, but for Kentucky basketball in the last 30 years. '98 with Padgett and Mills comes to mind, and obviously the Unforgettables, but it's really unique to have two Kentucky-born players who are suddenly carrying this much weight.

[Spiritof96]

Maybe. Impossible to say. He contributed, particularly in his sophomore year, but the teams he contributed on were pretty mediocre.

My point wasn't really about J.P. Blevins but just Kentucky players generally that we've seen over the last 20, 25 years. You put a lot of those guys with better player and suddenly you see more production. Dom Hawkins in 2000 is probably a guy who struggles quite a bit; Dom Hawkins with this bunch can contribute, because the other guys drag him forward.

I have no hard thoughts on Kentucky players one way or another. It's good to see them perform well but I don't have more of an emotional attachment to them than I do the others.

I have an emotional attachment to Hawkins personally because he plays incredibly hard, he plays the game with a smile, and he will give you 100% all the time. But the same can be said about guys who weren't from Kentucky. Michael Kidd-Gilchrist comes immediately to mind.

That is the thing that I care about WRT Hawkins. That he is a local kid is icing on the cake. ANYONE who plays like him in a KY uniform is going to become a fan favorite pretty quickly.

[Matt Dillon]

The point is, yes it's great to have KY players if they can play. If they can't who cares?

Exactly.

[Matt Dillon]

I consider myself as big a Kentucky fan as anyone. I will spare you the details, but they could fill volumes. And, I have never lived in Kentucky.

As was stated, in another post, if Ky. kids can play, it's nice to have some on the team. If not, I don't want them on the team. Fandom is somewhat of a peculiar thing in and of itself, in my opinion. I was born and raised in Ky. I've lived my entire life here. Having said that I love college fb and am as rabid about it as most bb fans are about the bb team. I have state pride, and for that reason I want all of UK's programs to do well. By the same token, I don't care whether or not the fb team has any players from Ky. As long as they can play, I don't care where they're from.

[Blue Heaven]

I am gonna miss those two guys. Here's hoping they bring the same attitude and fire in this tournament.

[Lighthouse]

^^ I feel almost the same way, but have a different thinking about this. I grew up on a Western Kentucky farm, and was a so so athlete. But I would have given about anything to be able to play on a team with KENTUCKY on my chest. If that dream had come true, I would have fought with everything I had, to win. That feeling is what I think Kentucky kids still have, but I realize things are much different today. It was very difficult for me to understand how the kids from University Heights and Mason County would leave Kentucky to go play at UT.

[Blue Heaven]

I can't believe Crazzed, err, BJD doesn't have a post in this thread. Wonder if his thoughts about Dom has changed any?

[George]

^^ I feel almost the same way, but have a different thinking about this. I grew up on a Western Kentucky farm, and was a so so athlete. But I would have given about anything to be able to play on a team with KENTUCKY on my chest. If that dream had come true, I would have fought with everything I had, to win. That feeling is what I think Kentucky kids still have, but I realize things are much different today. It was very difficult for me to understand how the kids from University Heights and Mason County would leave Kentucky to go play at UT.

On the other hand, it was just as difficult to understand why Tubby didn't take Chris Lofton when he had the chance.

[KevinHall]

On the other hand, it was just as difficult to understand why Tubby didn't take Chris Lofton when he had the chance.

UK nor UL recruited Lofton. Just a horrible mistake by both of those schools, especially UK.

[Dwight Schrute]

^^ I feel almost the same way, but have a different thinking about this. I grew up on a Western Kentucky farm, and was a so so athlete. But I would have given about anything to be able to play on a team with KENTUCKY on my chest. If that dream had come true, I would have fought with everything I had, to win. That feeling is what I think Kentucky kids still have, but I realize things are much different today. It was very difficult for me to understand how the kids from University Heights and Mason County would leave Kentucky to go play at UT.

Very few in this state make that choice. This state doesn't produce very much high level talent, but very few kids in this state who get offers from UK choose another school. I actually don't know the last time UK lost a recruiting battle instate - 5 Schrute bucks to whoever can answer this.

The list is probably much longer of kids who have been good enough to play at UK, but never received an offer, and then have gone on to be successful at other schools. Chris Lofton springs to mind.