Indiana vs. Kentucky: Game Thread

[BobS]

Ulis would be foolish to return if he wants to make as much money as he can, IMO. Weak draft and he had his best year and tons of publicity. Have to strike while it is hot.

Now after saying this I will tell you I hate the NBA and what this process does to college basketball, but that is for another thread.

[KCKUKFan]

Ulis would be foolish to return if he wants to make as much money as he can, IMO. Weak draft and he had his best year and tons of publicity. Have to strike while it is hot.

Now after saying this I will tell you I hate the NBA and what this process does to college basketball, but that is for another thread.

Why do you hate the NBA? I'm not trying to be smart, I'm asking a legitimate question. As far as I understand it, the NCAA has just as much responsibility for the "rule" as the NBA.

Is it because you have no allegiance to a particular team? You think they're all overpaid babies? No purity, as opposed to the college game?

Because the quality of the basketball, especially around this time of the year through June, is sky high. Basketball as art.

[BobS]

Why do you hate the NBA? I'm not trying to be smart, I'm asking a legitimate question. As far as I understand it, the NCAA has just as much responsibility for the "rule" as the NBA.

Is it because you have no allegiance to a particular team? You think they're all overpaid babies? No purity, as opposed to the college game?

Because the quality of the basketball, especially around this time of the year through June, is sky high. Basketball as art.

The NCAA has nothing to do with the rule. It's all NBA.

I like college basketball, period. I don't care all that much for pro sports. I like college football as well. I love the uncertainty and emotion of college sports, the bad teams that can rise up to beat the good on a given emotional day. I love the early season matchups in basketball. The NCAA and the Final Four are great events. And people can rail on about how this year is an awful year for college basketball but I will argue all day that it is still 10X more exciting and unpredictable than anything the pro game has to offer. Real fans can find greatness and excitement in parity.

Same with football. People watch the SuperBowl for halftime shows and commercials but the college playoff system is much more interesting and emotional to watch. At least for me.

Baseball? Used to be a HUGE MLB fan and a big Brave fan. Free agency ruins it for me. Baseball has become what UK basketball has become in some sense. You hardly ever see the same players 2 years in a row. Still follow it casually but no rooting interest anymore.

The NBA/NFL, while certainly full of top notch athletes, is a bore (except for GS.) I guess I just hate perfection.

[Matt Dillon]

I agree about pro sports, except for the PGA, BobS. All the strikes done it for me.

[Joneslab]

There is something oddly pleasing about how raw the college game is. I feel the same about high school basketball. College basketball is sometimes great in games where guys miss a lot of shots but you can still see the heart being displayed. The desire.

I would argue that the NBA Playoffs have a lot of that heart. Those guys are absolutely getting after it. But it still isn't the same as college.

I think it's more about having a team. Pulling for UK makes college sports more enjoyable. Having no team makes sports almost a waste of time. I like the NBA Playoffs but I wouldn't pay to watch it. I'd pay to watch college basketball, and I love the sport of basketball, but being a UK fan makes it.

When you have no team sports becomes just a time-suck. Those are necessary but sports IMO is all about vested, intense, unexplinable emotion.

[BobS]

I agree about pro sports, except for the PGA, BobS. All the strikes done it for me.

Love the PGA myself. But it is an individual sport for the most part.

[Matt Dillon]

Those are necessary but sports IMO is all about vested, intense, unexplinable emotion.

I had that emotion at one time (I was a rabid Dodgers, Celtics and Colts fan), but no longer.

[J.Jennings]

I had that emotion at one time (I was a rabid Dodgers, Celtics and Colts fan), but no longer.

Im still a rabid Dodgers and Celtics fan. Still like the Niners but nothing compares to the Wildcat basketball.......

[J.Jennings]

Winning is still important in the NBA. They play for championships there too.

Yeah Ulis is good, but not come in and start playing 20 to 25 minutes a game good on a elite NBA team. If he gets drafted in the later part of the first round he'll be playing for a top team but for the most part already has it's core in place at this time. Ulis will have to prove he can play at his size on the NBA level before he's trusted with valuable minutes. Not only does his height hurt him, kid probaly needs to get in a gym and beef up if he's going to defend the bigger stronger point guards of the NBA.

I wish him well and he can probaly get paid this year some guaranteed money so i understand either way.....

[Joneslab]

Yeah Ulis is good, but not come in and start playing 20 to 25 minutes a game good on a elite NBA team. If he gets drafted in the later part of the first round he'll be playing for a top team but for the most part already has it's core in place at this time. Ulis will have to prove he can play at his size on the NBA level before he's trusted with valuable minutes. Not only does his height hurt him, kid probaly needs to get in a gym and beef up if he's going to defend the bigger stronger point guards of the NBA.

I wish him well and he can probaly get paid this year some guaranteed money so i understand either way.....

None of that really speaks to my post.

Kentucky fans seem to have this idea that in the NBA they're just playing for the paycheck. The truth is a lot of these guys have the same desire to win up there as they did when they were here.

I wish they'd all stay in college, but if you play professionally I don't think you just check your desire and heart at the door on draft night. If you're a college player who plays with fire you'll be a pro who plays with fire.

Ulis may end up on a bad team, but I'd say we'll look at him in five years and see the same cerebral, ferocious player we saw here. Only difference is that in the NBA he's probably going to be a bit player or a back-up at his size. But those guys want to win too. They're competitors. There's a ton of tradition with some of these pro franchises too.