- 97 team may be the most underrated UK squad of all time. Lost the midseason NPOY and didn’t miss a beat. If someone was to say to me, “Sir, make your case for Rick Pitino as an all-timer.” It would start with the 1997 team.
I watched the 97 NCAA Tournament and 98 with my oldest boys last night and today. Every single game.
They even mentioned “the games from yesterday the players were just always in the right spots”.
I’m not knocking 98 at all, but they at times seemed to be confused, lost and or stagnant for 3-6 minutes a game. Spacing off, back turned at the wrong time etc.
Thinking back I adored Pitino as a kid as the man was a god and did no wrong IMO. I remember the growth I had at his summer camps just with basketball awareness. But that said to think back to all the wins he had with lessor talent it’s just amazing.
Not counting 96/97 and giving consideration to the talent that Mashburn was coach was crushing with the 92 team, Riddick, Gimel Martinez, Dent, Fors(was he highly regarded by anyone except KY fans?), Dale Brown, Brassow, Chris Harrison, some guy named Junior Braddy(?).
I remember the struggle after Mashburn left and getting beat in 94 by Marquette, then 95 to UNC and those teams while solid nationally just didn’t bring the heat.
Pope has really brought those old day feelings back in this old man, and I truly see the wrath we about to bring and remember the saying in the movie tombstone “it’s not revenge we’re after, it’s the reckoning”.