Kansas fan here.
Jayhawk fans wanting to play UK is a compliment to the Kentucky basketball program. You guys have a tremendous history. Championships in all but 3 decades since the 40's. Final 4 appearances during the Wooden era, which is about as good as anyone could expect given the circumstances. And your program is on a hell of a roll currently.
Perhaps the hate between both fan bases stem from Calipari being your coach. I don't ever recall any resentment between fan bases prior to 2010. Personally, I don't mind Calipari, but I can see how and why he rubs some people the wrong way. I won't even start the semantics of debating which coach is better at X's and O's. Every coach has their flaws and none are perfect.
What really separates Calipari from every other coach across all sports, professional or amateur, is that he is a master at marketing himself, the Kentucky basketball program, and his players. He is a great coach too, especially with melding multiple star egos on each of his teams, but his true strength is his vision of how to market UK, and his players. Only shortsighted fans argue that he is abusing the one and done rule. I think we all can agree that it would be nice to have star players stay more than one year, but such is life. And I know Calipari would've loved to had Wall and Davis on the same team, or Davis and KAT. He's doing the most he can given the current circumstances. And if I was a coach, I'd be doing the exact same thing.
I'm not sure why all the hate about the Helms titles. I, and most Kansas fans know what they are, and that they aren't National Championships. Now I don't agree with the particular labeling and placement of said Helms title banners inside Allen Fieldhouse (the athletic department didn't ask for my input on the interior decorating of the Fieldhouse), but they should be recognized in some form, not as a National Championship, but to honor and remember historic teams from the pre-championship era.
http://blogs.lib.ku.edu/spencer/wp-...smith-6613-1922-1923-Team-Photos-1024x779.jpg
That's the 1923 Kansas varsity team picture. James Naismith, Phog Allen, Adolph Rupp, and Paul Endacott. Should that team be forgotten, because they didn't play in a game that technically didn't exist at the time?
I'm not sure where/who some of you are interacting with Kansas fans, but I and most other fans I know do not think winning the Big 12 regular season title is more important than results in March. I know there is a small portion of the fan base who are Chicken Littles, who will say anything to make themselves feel better, but that's just asinine. I would trade every one of the Big 12 titles in our streak for another National Championship. Hell, probably for just a Final 4 or two more. The streak is impressive, regardless of what power 5 conference we are forced to play in, but results in March are what matters.
I'll end my rant with I know both fan bases have their contigent of bad apples. I don't judge the Kentucky fan base as a whole, because of a few bad experiences, and I would hope you guys don't either. I would love to have a home and home with UK. It's been far too long since both schools have done a home and home, and both Rupp and Allen would be an electric atmosphere. Even though we cheer for different schools, I have a respect for Kentucky fans, because you guys and gals love college basketball as much as I do. I'll go back to lurking now lol