What if Sam Gilbert had passed away in 1957 rather than 1987. UCLA and Wooden would have been nothing, and UK would have probably won 2 or 3 more championships.
Biggest "What-If" in UK Basketball History
- Thread starter HoptownCat93
- Start date
Lol, if you remember he went down 1 game in the tournament, arena got quiet as a churchOMG! Please don't EVER joke about that!
Yeah...late 1950s. Millions. I’m not sure that number was invented yet. That link is a good one. I suggest anyone looking for bio and history regarding Bear Bryant, and his time before, during and after UK, to check this and other Bama sites.also that s HL article with Bryants team manager
http://www.kentucky.com/sports/college/football/article44502018.html
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Totally agree. We weren’t beating then that day without Bogans.
What if the NCAA didn’t look the other way when Dook, the Jailhawks , and UNCHEAT were involved in scandals?
You do realize that UK didn't give Rupp a Cadillac, right?
Link: Rupp, Bear Bryant the Cadillac and the Lighter
Rupp did receive a Cadillac, but it was in 1955 (well after Bryant had already left UK and had started his jokes about receiving a lighter) and it wasn't given by the University, but by school boosters in commermoration of his 25th year as coach at the school.
I've always said that if Bryant had stayed at UK for 25 years, I have no doubt that boosters would have been willing to purchase him a Cadillac as well.
True, but he also said he knew nothing about the sport. Had to read a book on it.
The thing that people don't seem to recognize is that Haskins likely would have come to Kentucky if UK had been able to recruit him sooner. As it was the school didn't announce that their sports programs were open to all races until May 1963. The previous month at the April 2 Trustees meeting the issue was discussed and it was agreed to recommend that the athletics programs at the school be opened.
As part of this the school sent out questionairres to their fellow SEC members to determine their reaction to such a move (with varied responses). It wouldn't be until May 29th that the school formally announced that its sports teams were open to all races.
In the meantime, Clem Haskins had signed in April 28th his intention to play for the University of Louisville. (Haskins would later became homesick and end up transferring to Western Kentucky).
FWIW, I agree that if Haskins had signed to play with UK (and importantly if they were able to keep him), that would have paved the way for Wes Unseld, then Butch Beard then any number of other great black players from that era. The UCLA dynasty may never have happened.
In 1970 UK played Alabama at Tuscaloosa as Manager I drove Rupp to Paul Bryant’s
Home for dinner.On the way back I asked Coach about the Caddy/lighter story He replied”do you believe it?”I said “I was born in1951 I really don’t know”
He answered “What did Paul ever do to deserve a lighter “ draw your own conclusions
Yes. I understand it's not true, but does accurately illustrate the misplaced greater emphasis on bball at Ky. He stayed long enough and was successful enough to earn his caddy. He was overshadowed and he knew it. (unfortunately)
If I could change history, that's one thing I would have changed. Today, we might or might not have a Rupp Arena but we would have had a Bryant Stadium.
Kentucky is a basketball school and was when Bryant was here the fact that fewer schools in Kentucky played HS football compared to basketball is part of the cause for the difference in interest
Says you who never met Coach Rupp
He was a generous Christian man who helped many without fanfare.He was full of himself but with his accomplishments he had a right to be.Let the dead RIP.
how do you know I never met him?Says you who never met Coach Rupp
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I know if you did you would be almost in your 60’s and would not be making salicous statements.Oh Bryant was too$
how do you know I never met him?
Well we have maybe 2 more Titles he came out of Seneca in1964 so he plays with the Runts
On the basketball front...THIS would have been huge. Signing him would have helped to change so much unfair perception about Rupp
What if...Ashley Judd would finally stop bringing all her rotten karma to our NCAA tourney games.
Says you who never met Coach Rupp
Sounds a lot like rat-face.
The reason Ky is different from the rest of the country re: bball vs Football is because of the large number of small, poor high schools. They couldn't afford Football nor did they have sufficient enrollment to have teams. bball was the primary sport not by choice but caused by circumstances.
No debate here... Pitino stays we are a Dynasty overtaking UCLA...
bball is no longer the main sport in high schools. IMO, football has overtaken bball. Just look at attendance at regular season games.
This is always an interesting one too. With Rupp out of the Championship Game, would history have gone after Duke and Vic Bubas as racists?
