Rupp Arena: To Change The Name Or Not?

[KCKUKFan]

Lots of discussion right now about changing the name of Rupp Arena, to something less... problematic?

I disagree with this proposition. Adolph Rupp might have been a difficult guy (and a product of his time), but he built our basketball program and created the legacy, and we should continue to honor that. I don't know know Rupp personally (and never will, obviously), so I don't know what's in his heart. I doubt that many people still breathing do, either. Like Matt Jones said, there are lot of things that have been said and written to support either opinion on Rupp you may harbor.

Because of the median age and political leanings of the majority of posters here, I can imagine where most of WCN falls on this issue, but I'm curious to see discussion.

[Lighthouse]

I met Coach Rupp, but as you say I don't know him. Tom Payne was the first black player to play at Kentucky, and he is a fan of Coach Rupp. I met Tom while he was still in prison while I was doing prison ministry and he has told me a lot about what he went through everywhere they played, including Memorial Coliseum. He said the worst places were Knoxville and the Mississippi Schools. I would never be in favor of changing the name on Rupp Arena!

I heard some of the faculty are asking for the change. Because Rupp doesn't belong to UK, changing the name wouldn't be up to UK although I'm sure they have a lot to say about it.

[justford]

I know this is from back on January but don’t know if it will work regarding the name change.
https://www.wkyt.com/content/news/Ne...567041251.html

[Jload]

Can’ t believe this is being considered , if they do it for”political appeasement ” I will never watch another game as long as I live Can’t believe some of the utter horse apples younger people are expounding. What’s worse people who should know better are bowing to it.

[Blue Heaven]

Lots of liberties have been taken in regards to Rupp. NO WAY his name should be removed! It would not surprise me if it did unfortunately. A lot of pre- pubescent adults amongst us.

[KCKUKFan]

Can’ t believe this is being considered , if they do it for”political appeasement ” I will never watch another game as long as I live Can’t believe some of the utter horse apples younger people are expounding. What’s worse people who should know better are bowing to it.

If you're so passionate about this that youd stop watching games entirely, maybe you're holding onto an idea of an America that simply doesnt exist anymore?

[lilproUK98]

Nope

[40bill]

Not a fan if changing a name. Seems like quite a bit of pandering. You would expect names like Neyland, Bryant and others would be on the chopping block as well.

Lol...then again, Kroger Field wasn't a home run either for me.

Money talks.

[Matt Dillon]

A lot of pre- pubescent adults amongst us.

Or, to put it another way, a lot of spineless, gutless cowards that are afraid to say, and stand up for, what they really think.

[Dwight Schrute]

Can’ t believe this is being considered , if they do it for”political appeasement ” I will never watch another game as long as I live Can’t believe some of the utter horse apples younger people are expounding. What’s worse people who should know better are bowing to it.

I bet you will keep watching.

[Catsrock]

I wish we never made the title game in 1966. Rupp may have never been branded a racist. The fact he was not the first coach to sign a black player just doesn't convince me that he disliked them. But I never knew him either.

[Dwight Schrute]

My understanding was that Rupp was more racially progressive for the times than he’s given credit for.

In general I think there’s a distinction between celebrating someone in spite of their faults and celebrating someone because of them the way we do with confederate relics. I am not aware of Rupp being involved with the pro-segregationist movement or campaigning against civil rights.

I do recall a story of him telling a black player that he couldn’t guarantee his safety in other sec gyms and that’s why he didn’t offer him a scholarship.

[TrueblueCATfan]

NO...

[Catsrock]

My understanding was that Rupp was more racially progressive for the times than he’s given credit for.

In general I think there’s a distinction between celebrating someone in spite of their faults and celebrating someone because of them the way we do with confederate relics. I am not aware of Rupp being involved with the pro-segregationist movement or campaigning against civil rights.

I do recall a story of him telling a black player that he couldn’t guarantee his safety in other sec gyms and that’s why he didn’t offer him a scholarship.

Well said. And it has nothing to do with Rupp but I do believe UK was the 1st SEC school to integrate in football. I despise any contention that the school has been racist more than any other. I know racism has always been around and unfortunately always will be. I just hope it gets less with each generation. And I think we can still celebrate those who built our country and our schools.

[Joneslab]

Very difficult subject.

I have no basis for this other than just reading between the lines but I've always believed Rupp was one of those people (and they are still out there; I've heard them as recently as this past season when my son's team (mostly black) was playing a game in eastern Kentucky) who truly believed basketball in its purest form was played by white boys playing an orchestrated team basketball. When basketball began to move toward more jazz-like experimentation--more urban, more individual--then Rupp was probably against the very notion of that to his core.

We've all heard people say "jungle ball" and "monkey ball" and all that. Rupp probably wasn't an overt racist--one thing about Rupp was that he was highly intelligent; could easily quote Shakespeare--but it may've been more subtle. And it probably became over the years his philosophy: that a group of like-minded boys could go out and beat any athletic phenom.

Of course that was upended in 1966, and the game changed radically. Rupp was behind the 8-ball, as evidenced by the shaky end to his career.

Does all that mean we should take his name off the arena? I'm not sure but as I saw someone else say, Rupp could have been a visionary but he missed the boat.