On a scale of 1-10 how happy are you with college basketball?

[bthaunert]

I transitioned my spectator sport of choice to college football about 10 years ago. I’ll still watch Kentucky (catch about 75% of the games now as opposed to 100% then) and the NCAA Tournament but hardly anything outside of that. I still want Kentucky to win, but I think my age, priorities and the constant roster turnover has just changed by watching/rooting habits.

I also think the transfer portal and likeness/image will probably make me watch less. The thing is, I’m all for a college kid making money, being able to transfer and leaving early if he things that’s the best route...it just makes the game much less appealing to me.

College football still has a lot about what used to like in college basketball. Guys staying 3 and 4 years, being the biggest thing.

I used to be at a 9, now I’m about a 4.

 

[UK CAT in FL]

Agreed! If you hate it that much, it may be time to find another hobby.

Because some like me have the same attitude that I have playing golf. No matter how many bad shots I hit, it’s the next shot that’s going to be a good hit. Hopelessly optimistic or not, I’m always checking back to see if we’ve turned the corner.

 

[zannmann]

I am tired of the cheating, the refereeing, players leaving to go to the NBA who have no business in leaving. The NCAA needs to clean up the sport and redo some things or they are going to go way of the dinosaur.

 

[chroix]

Last year, zero. Next year when we go 40-0, solid 10.

 

[CELTICAT]

I love college basketball but I also really effing hate college basketball

 

[Backer cutter]

Idk why anyone would give it a 1 and post here. If it’s that bad it’s time to find something else. I put it at a 4 bc there is still some enjoyment and good competition

You know, reading through this thread, I was gonna respond with my usual disdain for how things have gone for us lately. But after thinking about this post, you’re right. It’s time to move on. I never was a college basketball fan per say. Just a UK basketball fan. Never really watched other teams, and usually quit watching after UK was eliminated from the tournament. It’s been a big part of my life since around 1970, but I’m no longer interested, as the last few years I’ve hardly even watched UK games. Numerous things are to blame, but not going into that. Those that know my post history can figure it out. As for why I’m still on this site, don’t know. As I said, I’m a UK basketball fan, not a college basketball fan. Maybe time to just not be a basketball fan at all.

 

[AppyCat]

-69

 

[BigRedMachineBigBlueNation]

4. The Big 6 conferences need to split and form their own Premier Division as D1 has become crowded with schools who honestly do not deserve to be there.

 

[CrazyCat74]

1. College basketball sucks and is unwatchable outside of UK

Cant argue with this...

 

[UKRuppster]

I'll be honest and say a 3 or a 4. Like with others, I'm pretty tired of the rampant cheating in the sport and feel as though the overall quality of the product isn't what it once was. I even made a few posts about it during the tournament games. That said, I still do enjoy watching notable regular season games and love the drama of the NCAA Tournament.

 

[DCFseattle]

I selected every option.

 

[UKRuppster]

Because ole Roy decided to retire and Arizona fired Sean Miller, I've decided to upgrade my vote from a 3 to a 4.

 

[CHAMPCAT11]

I voted at 2 simply because 1 is just too low. Cal and UK aren’t exempt from criticism either. UK basketball under Cal’s watch has been declining and reached a disgusting unacceptable low last year. Due to all of the craziness that Covid brought us I’m more than happy to give last year a pass but if we stink it up again next year I think Cal needs to find another place to hang his hat.

 

[CB3UK]

The past two or three seasons I've hardly watched any non UK game. I outright just skipped UK gamed the past two for sure. We've all listed the reasons a thousand times. I do feel like the transfer portal might help get the game itself back to a good solid level. The problem, or should I say impetus for my apathy, is absolutely as much about the national basketball product as it is UK and OAD stuff. Never gonna quit the Cats but my passion for basketball isn't what it once was. I do feel like so far this offseason things are shaping up well and this coming season us going to feel like the Cats should feel.

 

[jameslee32]

3. Kentucky playing in 2021-22 like Kentucky plays, makes cbb better.

 

[cathouse]

Why no 0?

 

[UNIVKY]

I can tell you, it's not just UK fans. All my friends here who are UNC, Duke or NC State fans are very fed up with the state of college basketball.....

When you lose the states of Kentucky and North Carolina, cbb is in trouble.

 

[Lord Z]

I'd be curious to hear from the 4 people that voted 10.

 

[WildcatfaninOhio]

I’m outraged!

 

[chevyman 50]

Have lost the passion I use to have for all sports.

 

[NavyCat88]

1.5

In short I am mildly interested in UK BB and largely indifferent to college BB as a whole.

OAD has compromised CBB and doubly so with a UK program that has found its way into the OAD tar-pit with no way out. UK and many other historic programs have been degraded to AAU ball with better TV ratings.

The quality of early season CBB is simply bad.

The late season BB is sometimes watchable so long as your team is good enough to keep the interest of your players who are otherwise looking to prep for the NBA draft.

There are exceptions; however, for the most part--there is very little complexity or precision in CBB beyond a strategy of isolate and "out talent" your defender.....a few passes to cutters.....and a lot of 3 pt attempts. Mix in a whole bunch of referee whistles and you've got a pretty poor product compared to 70s, 80s, and 90s CBB.

Thank heavens for CFB....

GBB!

 

[Creed Bratton]

Nobody here is below a 6 of you wouldn’t be on a message board talking about it. I agree it’s on a downward trend but I don’t know how you stop it. Money talks and BS walks and the NCAA is swallowing all the money. There will never be any continuity until that equation is solved. Until then it’s a revolving door and the talent pool will continue to dwindle making the game less esthetically pleasing. I really think it would be best for both the NBA and NCAA to go to an out of high school or 2 year model. It just makes too much sense. Unfortunately, I think the NBA wants these kids in the G LEAGUE instead of college.

But isn't it all relative? I mean if you were like some of these people who have stated they went from watching someone play every night even if it wasn't UK or an SEC game, taking vacation days off during the NCAA tournament, following recruiting year around and generally being obsessed with college basketball even when it isn't your team playing to only watching UK 1/2 the time wouldn't that qualify as a 1? The poll was how happy are you with college basketball and I think people can be totally unhappy with the product and direction it is headed and still have some interest. It just is not near as much as it once was.

 

[blubo]

Sucks for several reasons. i stopped watching this past year, including uk. never thought things would get this funless and whacked out, not just basketball.

 

[UKrazycat2]

1. Too much corruption in the uNCAA. Too many officials making bank by determining/controlling the outcome of games.

 

[meow_cat]

I think the glory days are over and have been for awhile. Like a lot of guys on here, the things we used to love about the sport are gone. Layers have been peeled back to reveal an ugly underside of cheating, bias, and exploitation. The insertion of politics, for good or ill, has added to the disillusionment.

I am putting my heart and soul into my small business and can’t stop working to watch tourney games and BBM. This goes for all sports, not just UK basketball. It comes with a bitter-sweet sadness, but necessary for me to stay focused on life.

Likewise, for the kids, I hope they start forgetting about dribbling and focus on their educations. I doubt that will happen, but maybe lower TV ratings for the NBA and fleeing fans will force them to make similar decisions on what’s more important in life. Maybe the promise of riches and money are exacerbating bigger problems.

But, maybe I’m totally wrong.

 

[Catfanlou]

UNC fix ruined it for me . Also Higgins falsley claiming he got death threats (fully investigated not true) and press just assuming he was right when in fact he is the Jussie Smullet of referees.
Also favoritism to Duke and lack of enforcement against LSU, Kansas, UL for second major offense etc.
whole purpose of NCAA is to maximize revenue regardless of whats right or wrong .

 

[Chuckinden]

Nobody here is below a 6 of you wouldn’t be on a message board talking about it. I agree it’s on a downward trend but I don’t know how you stop it. Money talks and BS walks and the NCAA is swallowing all the money. There will never be any continuity until that equation is solved. Until then it’s a revolving door and the talent pool will continue to dwindle making the game less esthetically pleasing. I really think it would be best for both the NBA and NCAA to go to an out of high school or 2 year model. It just makes too much sense. Unfortunately, I think the NBA wants these kids in the G LEAGUE instead of college.

Good! Let them go to the G-league. Maybe we will get some true COLLEGE players.

 

[NavyCat88]

Good! Let them go to the G-league. Maybe we will get some true COLLEGE players.

I actually believe a G-league offering direct-from-HS entrance would be the best thing for college BB. Although there would be a siphoning off of talent, CBB would be better served with 3-4 year student athletes rather than a pro-farm team model with 8-month athletes who would rather not make a pit-stop on a college campus.

But, I'm not sure the NBA would be better off funding a direct-accession G-league. They're reaping the college OAD benefits for free.

GBB!

 

[Chuckinden]

I actually believe a G-league offering direct-from-HS entrance would be the best thing for college BB. Although there would be a siphoning off of talent, CBB would be better served with 3-4 year student athletes rather than a pro-farm team model with 8-month athletes who would rather not make a pit-stop on a college campus.

But, I'm not sure the NBA would be better off funding a direct-accession G-league. They're reaping the college OAD benefits for free.

GBB!

Exactly! I would rather see real student athletes that what we see today.

 

[BlobUK]

I'm a 9. I love college basketball. It's not perfect but I still love it.

 

[Ugoff]

If 10 people sat in a room for a month and brainstormed how to eff up a sport, they couldn't have done a better job. Unchecked cheating, transfer free for all, flopping, flag disrespect, NCAA corruption, one and done to the g-league, players opting out, entire teams opting out. Train wreck.

 

[Swimcat20]

College basketball has seen it's heyday. It's too dominated by the NBA now.

 

[Jumpercat]

If 10 people sat in a room for a month and brainstormed how to eff up a sport, they couldn't have done a better job. Unchecked cheating, transfer free for all, flopping, flag disrespect, NCAA corruption, one and done to the g-league, players opting out, entire teams opting out. Train wreck.

This is spot on!