I went with Poythress in 2015.
I believe he would have made a difference against Sam Dekker in the Final Four.
Undefeated.
I believe he would have made a difference against Sam Dekker in the Final Four.
Undefeated.
Poll: Pick one UK injury you could go back and change.
- Thread starter Robcatt24
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Poy is a strong choice, but I went DA because I believe we get another 'chip if he plays.
DA was a very close second for me.
Poythress doesn’t get hurt and we run the table in 2015. He did something for that team that only he could do and that made him as irreplaceable as anyone we had. The year before likely kept us from winning a title but that was such an improbable run to begin with. DA being out likely cost us as well considering he was our best player on a team that still made the finals.
The only answer is DA, imo. It’s a guaranteed title with our best player playing. We still went to OT in the title game without him.
I will say I think we go 40-0 if Poy doesn’t go down, but it’s no where near as certain as with DA
I will say I think we go 40-0 if Poy doesn’t go down, but it’s no where near as certain as with DA
I like the Poythress pick but I voted DA. UK damn near beat Arizona without him. I think he easily pushes UK over the edge in that game.
Food for thought though. For all the hate Pitino gets on this board by UK fans, I remember a lot of the good things he did for UK coming off of probation. He could have selfishly played DA in that game to help get him another title and further his reputation as a coach, but he didn't.
In spite of the fact that the doctor's said Anderson could have played in the game, Pitino held him out to save his pro career. I didn't like the decision at the time, but I have to give him credit for that. Not to mention the fact that he made the after effects of probation much shorter than they might have been otherwise.
Food for thought though. For all the hate Pitino gets on this board by UK fans, I remember a lot of the good things he did for UK coming off of probation. He could have selfishly played DA in that game to help get him another title and further his reputation as a coach, but he didn't.
In spite of the fact that the doctor's said Anderson could have played in the game, Pitino held him out to save his pro career. I didn't like the decision at the time, but I have to give him credit for that. Not to mention the fact that he made the after effects of probation much shorter than they might have been otherwise.
Poythress was the answer for the kid on Wisconsin that nobody in the country could stop if he was on (including Duke - he dropped 21 and 12 on them - they just did enough elsewhere to win). You probably end up with 40-0.
But on the other hand, Anderson on '97 is more certain.
But on the other hand, Anderson on '97 is more certain.
Gotta go with Derek Anderson. Would've been a 3peat!! No doubt in my mind.
So far I guess I'm the odd ball. I chose Mike Casey.
I'd like to think that the Cats could've handled Jacksonville in that Elite Eight game with Casey in the back court. Considering all the things he might have changed about that game, Issel "maybe" doesn't foul out this time around.
St. Bonaventure woulda been next, and sans Bob Lanier because he was hurt. Cats win.
That leaves UCLA. Who knows what might have happened?? However, I like the Cats with Casey playing.
DA is my next choice.
I'll go with Poy as my third choice.
Nice thread; nice question OP.
I'd like to think that the Cats could've handled Jacksonville in that Elite Eight game with Casey in the back court. Considering all the things he might have changed about that game, Issel "maybe" doesn't foul out this time around.
St. Bonaventure woulda been next, and sans Bob Lanier because he was hurt. Cats win.
That leaves UCLA. Who knows what might have happened?? However, I like the Cats with Casey playing.
DA is my next choice.
I'll go with Poy as my third choice.
Nice thread; nice question OP.
Probably Poythress, but that's because it was situational. If almost ANY player was out for that team, being 38-0, I would choose them. I don't like this choice, but it's the most logical one to get a title and become immortal.
Another interesting choice.. I'd really like to see what Kentucky could have done with a healthy Noel. He was rounding into form, and when he went down, the whole team just sank. There's no telling what Calipari could have gotten out of Archie, Noel, WCS, Wiltjer and others come mid March.
With Noel, we make the tournament, and we're probably a 5 or 6 seed at least. Only 6 losses heading into that Florida game.
Another interesting choice.. I'd really like to see what Kentucky could have done with a healthy Noel. He was rounding into form, and when he went down, the whole team just sank. There's no telling what Calipari could have gotten out of Archie, Noel, WCS, Wiltjer and others come mid March.
With Noel, we make the tournament, and we're probably a 5 or 6 seed at least. Only 6 losses heading into that Florida game.
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You can't go against Poythress,but DA,Bowie and Casey are all neck and neck for second.What might have been would have been epic in all those cases. What about a healthy team in 1966?
I go with DA. We win a title. Yes, I get the whole no guarantee we win the next year if we win in 97 (no guaranteed 3-peat philosophy), and for that reason AP in 15 is the best choice.
But it's DEREK ANDERSON. And he was right as rain in a UK uniform. A superstar. Our greatest time. I'm not turning that down.
But it's DEREK ANDERSON. And he was right as rain in a UK uniform. A superstar. Our greatest time. I'm not turning that down.
DA. Didn’t even have to think. That one game turned the entire decade of the 90’s in Kentucky’s favor over Duke and would have been the only 3-peat since UCLA.
If you want a counter to the Poythress pick a lot of us made.. I'm still not fully convinced the NCAA doesn't do their worst against us to give Duke the title. There's a part of me that thinks no matter who was on the floor for us, Duke is winning that game on the backs of officiating.
I would not want to be 39-0, one game away, and losing to Duke due to even WORSE officiating than what we got against Wisconsin.
If three of the injuries listed don't happen,we aren't talking Glory Road but Glory 4 lane highway.
I really can't argue that point,maybe it is best we never know.I would want us to have the chance at 40 -0 but I too seriously question whether the NCAA would have allowed it.(that is saying a lot but it is probably true)
I think this is DA in a landslide for my lifetime.
That team cuts down number 7 with DA.
I would then lean WCS in 2014 followed by Poythress in 2015.
For teams I actually saw play this would be my order:
DA
WCS
Alex
Brown
Bogans
Dent
Noel
That team cuts down number 7 with DA.
I would then lean WCS in 2014 followed by Poythress in 2015.
For teams I actually saw play this would be my order:
DA
WCS
Alex
Brown
Bogans
Dent
Noel
It's Sam Bowie to me and it's not even close. The rest of those guys recovered from their injury, while Sam was never really the same player as he was before the first injury at UK. Bowie was every bit as good as Anthony Davis, before the injury. He was probably better as a Freshman (yes, I know Davis was National Player of the Year), because Sam was a better offensive player at that stage than Davis.
For me, it's close between DA and WCS because if we have either of them I think we have another title either year. I went with DA because that's an OT loss and he was amazing so that would have for sure been a win and a three-peat. Still pretty amazing we were in the title game 3 years in a row 96-98. We have more titles than everyone but UCLA but we have probably left more titles on that table too. Some have been to these injuries and some too horrible calls, others to just bad games.
I honestly think this year's team would have won a title so I'm still trying to get over that. As long as we play this year I will be ok. Boston and Clarke together are going to be a nightmare for defenses like we haven't seen since Monk and Fox. Plus Sarr, Brooks, Jackson, Mintz, Askew. We got a shot this year coming.
I honestly think this year's team would have won a title so I'm still trying to get over that. As long as we play this year I will be ok. Boston and Clarke together are going to be a nightmare for defenses like we haven't seen since Monk and Fox. Plus Sarr, Brooks, Jackson, Mintz, Askew. We got a shot this year coming.
Poythress. DA in 97 might have been more certain since it was the title game, but 40 - 0 means a lot more than a normal title year.
Honorable mention for Julius Randle in 2014. Am I not remembering correctly, but wasn't he like 60% going into the title game against UCONN after Willie had already gone down? Correct me if I'm wrong.
Sam Bowie.
At first blush, you'd have to go with Anderson for the threepeat, but I've never been convinced that the '98 team would have won it had we been coming off back to back titles. I think the frustration of coming within an OT of a title- with a hobbled team- in '97 is the fuel that drove the returnees to the championship in '98.
As for Poythress: maybe he stops Dekker and makes the difference, but a lot went wrong in that game, including the officiating. It doesn't seem like the slam dunk many UK fans think it would've been.
Losing Bowie for two seasons was a critical blow for Hall in the early '80s. We missed two chances to make a statement early in that decade, in a time when college basketball was evolving into the modern era of national popularity and intense media coverage we know today. Instead, we had two disappointing seasons, one of which ended in a loss to Louisville, a game which probably wouldn't have come about if we'd had a higher seeded team with a healthy Bowie. And if it had... we prevent one of their two Final Fours in 82 (they tried to match us up then as well) or 83.
The '80s were a lost decade for us, but having an experienced, healthy Bowie- not the diminished player that came back in '84- would have made for a very different story.
At first blush, you'd have to go with Anderson for the threepeat, but I've never been convinced that the '98 team would have won it had we been coming off back to back titles. I think the frustration of coming within an OT of a title- with a hobbled team- in '97 is the fuel that drove the returnees to the championship in '98.
As for Poythress: maybe he stops Dekker and makes the difference, but a lot went wrong in that game, including the officiating. It doesn't seem like the slam dunk many UK fans think it would've been.
Losing Bowie for two seasons was a critical blow for Hall in the early '80s. We missed two chances to make a statement early in that decade, in a time when college basketball was evolving into the modern era of national popularity and intense media coverage we know today. Instead, we had two disappointing seasons, one of which ended in a loss to Louisville, a game which probably wouldn't have come about if we'd had a higher seeded team with a healthy Bowie. And if it had... we prevent one of their two Final Fours in 82 (they tried to match us up then as well) or 83.
The '80s were a lost decade for us, but having an experienced, healthy Bowie- not the diminished player that came back in '84- would have made for a very different story.
DA.
And, for friendly discussion: I never understood then or now the argument that Pitino was "protecting DA's professional career" even though doctors had cleared him and he wanted to play. If you are cleared to play, then you are no more likely than anybody else to be injured again. The definition of cleared to play means your injury is no longer a factor.
If the argument is that he wasn't in playing shape and the team had adjusted to a different style in the past three months, and that he was not ready to help until he could practice with the team more and the whole team could adjust, then I get that.I always suspected that was the case.
Or maybe he wasn't truly 'cleared to play.' Maybe it was like Jordan's foot injury where doctors said he COULD play but he was risking further injury. To me, especially in college, that's not really 'cleared to play.'
But I always felt Pitino milked the "I could have played him, but it wouldn't have been fair to Derek" angle.
And, for friendly discussion: I never understood then or now the argument that Pitino was "protecting DA's professional career" even though doctors had cleared him and he wanted to play. If you are cleared to play, then you are no more likely than anybody else to be injured again. The definition of cleared to play means your injury is no longer a factor.
If the argument is that he wasn't in playing shape and the team had adjusted to a different style in the past three months, and that he was not ready to help until he could practice with the team more and the whole team could adjust, then I get that.I always suspected that was the case.
Or maybe he wasn't truly 'cleared to play.' Maybe it was like Jordan's foot injury where doctors said he COULD play but he was risking further injury. To me, especially in college, that's not really 'cleared to play.'
But I always felt Pitino milked the "I could have played him, but it wouldn't have been fair to Derek" angle.
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Healthy team in 1966 woulda been very nice!!!
Larry Conley had the flu.
Tommy Kron (or was it Thad Jaracz?) had a cold.
Pat Riley, I always thought, had an infected toe. I've even read where he showed his toe to Harry Lancaster after the Duke win. "Don't tell Adolph" was Harry's reply upon looking at the toe. However, I've read very recently he had a bad case of Athlete's Foot. He had it so bad that he could hardly put his shoes on. Either freaking way, Riley was hurting below the ankles for sure.
Mike Casey. If he hadn’t broken his leg we beat Artis Gilmore and Jacksonville and go on to win number 5.
Conley's flu (probably covid 66)
Riley's toe or foot
Kron had an issue of some sort
all that is lost in the revision of history(some think Rupp was on the grassy knoll in 63')
to borrow a line from the band- they were hurtin' just barely alive,the game that Rupp's Runts fell,it was a night I remember oh so well
With all other things being equal (ie, changing one of these doesn't affect any other season,) it's Anderson.
However, I also believe we go 40-0 with AP in 2015, and posting that mark along with a second title for Cal would have been massive. It's a tough call. No other choice warrants much merit IMO.
However, I also believe we go 40-0 with AP in 2015, and posting that mark along with a second title for Cal would have been massive. It's a tough call. No other choice warrants much merit IMO.
Casey was my teammate and roommate
The night he was injured I had to drive Adolph to St Joseph Hospital in Louisville Shelbyville had no hospital Coach Rupp was not happy to be out of bed at 2:00 AM We had 2 KSP Troopers as an escort at 100 MPH A 30 minutes ride from Lexington to Louisville
Casey was in surgery and we waited til he awoke
Rupp said”. You have cost me the Title Issel and Pratt aren’t enough “
He was right when the cheap foul against Issel for charging against Jacksonville fouled him out Rupp
Had no answer
Soderberg gave all he could but we fell short Casey would have made the difference
Casey took that to the grave
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