I actually didn't see that, but it would have set me off, and I'd be even more upset. Now, to top matters off, my son-law and family are from Kentucky, and they correctly make it very clear that Kentucky was not a member of the CSA. Kentucky's official stance during the late Rebellion was one of "armed neutrality," a la Switzerland. But, in reality more Kentuckians volunteered for the Union than for the Confederacy. Too bad so many Blue Grass citizens don't know their own history.

I'm asking what year our game against Purdue will be.

Would we really want to schedule Rutgers? I have to think a lot of A10 and MVC schools are a better game for us than Rutgers despite the B1G affiliation. The rest I agree with.

I'd still like to see some more regionally relevant schools like UD, X, UC, Pitt, WVU, and so forth. Even Wright State, Cleveland State, Duquesne aren't bad games. As always, it takes two to tango, so we'll see. While I'm excited to get Purdue here, I've never been bothered with playing A-10 and MVC schools.

Didn't Jim Peterson go off that night for almost 30? I was there but I was young, I know we got housed but remember Peterson having a good night.

I am with PP on this. Altering recruiting at a mid Major to prepare for one game is a bit insane and short sighted. One of my pet peeves is the use of the "chance of a lifetime".... if we have not seen winning or advancing in the ncaa in recent history to have provided another chance of a lifetime and don't forsee building a sustainable program as greater than one night and a possible win as better "chances" i am at a loss as to the view of college athletics and the bigger picture. Gardner webb beat UK at Rupp. How many folks actually remember that chance of a lifetime and can point to that as a turning and we never looked back point in that institutions athletic history? This program has been playing ball for a hundred years. Pointing to that as a missed program changer is laughable. Just win baby.

Alex Groza, from Martins Ferry Ohio, was Lou Groza's brother. An athletic family to say the least. Alex was part of the point shaving scandal and had to live that down for decades.

Got to meet "the Toe' in 4 th grade. Still got his autograph somewhere. My pops knew him as Alex s brother due to his UK ties. I just knew he was an NFL player which put him on the level with Mr blanda that I had just met and seen on TV. The point shaving scandal and cliff bringing those guys to play for the Olympians was why the fledgling and image conscious NBA folded the club while to the North the ft Wayne pistons flourished and later moved to a larger market

I'll play along.

I fully realize what beating UK at the Convo would have done for the local lore. For the record, the PITT win would not even hold a candle to what it would have been to beat UK here. There is NO equivalent in Ohio athletics that would be on par with beating UK in Athens that night that year.

SO..... you think he should have adjusted his recruiting not for the program but to have brought in a roster just for that game?


And you further go on about the team that faced UK that night......as if you expected a competitive night. Let's get a little reality.

That UK team was 29 -4 on the heels of a stinging defeat in the 97 national Championship Final. 29 other teams (pretty good ones too!) Suffered a loss to them that year. Only 4 all high majors with pretty good programs were able to beat them.

That UK team was in Athens 3 days after a defeat at the hands of Louisille. Even on a good night seeing them was a formidable task....seeing them 3 nights after losing to UL. their arch rival, is stepping into a meat grinder. You think the battle of the bricks is a big deal....try holding up to the war that exists in the Bluegrass State.

That team was ripe with guys who had lost a National Champioship the year before to a pretty good Arizona club that went through kansas, NC and UK to win with Bibby, Pastner, Simon et al. UK was on a mission with vets Magliore, padgett and Nazr Mohammed. Pretty wild to think that the locals would be the only ones who would have thought the "lore" would be huge. That would have been one for the ages in mid major circles for all time.

I stayed away from this as it is one of those arguments that is silly and out of touch but when it got to sublimely ridiculous I jumped in. Agreeing to disagree about what? This was a slaughter waiting to happen even if we had a GREAT roster. I don't get into this type of conversation very often because arguing about games and rosters that only exist in folks minds is like too much for my brain....I can, however, say with great confidence that the probability of sneaking up on UK that year, that night with anything short of a hidden stash of all americans, horseshoe planted between your cheeks, A lucky clover in your pocket and some great home cooking that night was going to be quite a feat.


I don't underestimate the effect of a win that night in the history of OHIO, the local fanbase or even what it would mean to mid major sports in general but i really think you grossly OVER estimate OUr ability to have been competitive no matter who was on that team, the coaching staff or in the house that night.

All I'm saying borna is that upsets, even very improbably upsets, happen all the time, and that the roster we had on the floor that night had much less of a chance of being able to pull that, I will admit very unlikely, upset than would almost any other group of Hunter recruits.

+1 This is a good general summary of what happened, to the best of my knowledge.

There was only one point guard available for the game as well. Dustin Ford was, I believe, a freshman and had to handle the ball for the full 40. (He actually had hair and was thin back then.)