The Good Ole Boy network at UK.

[Robcatt24]

For those of us fans who have been around a while, we remember the tremendous influence the Good Ole Boy network had at UK back in the day. C.M. Newton being one of the key figures.

My question is, how many of those guys are still around, and how much clout do they still have?

I've heard that one of Barnhart's prime directives when he was hired was to corral the Good Ole Boys.

I've always been interested in the goings on behind the scenes at UK.

 

[uky8unc5]

Boosters always will (by necessity) have influence.

But the Fed Ex mess + Sandy Bell = dawn of the new era.

 

[Kybluedude]

Don't kid yourself losing those boosters has hurt UK fund raising. MB not good at it anyway. The SEC network bailed him out. Conversely UL has a major league GOB network and it has boosted them past UK in facilities.

 

[sluggercatfan]

Don't kid yourself losing those boosters has hurt UK fund raising. MB not good at it anyway. The SEC network bailed him out. Conversely UL has a major league GOB network and it has boosted them past UK in facilities.

This not true...You are listening to the emperor to much...The baseball stadium is the only facility that is better than UKs right now and that issue will be taken care of as soon as the football facilities are completed

 

[JohnBlue_]

C.M was a key figure?

 

[EastKYWildcat]

Might be why some don't like MB.

 

[CUT-NETS]

As much as it might pain many to admit it, Jurich runs circles around MB as an AD. Call him dirty, sly, etc the guy keeps getting things done at UL. I still can't believe they are in the ACC

 

[willymakit63]

This not true...You are listening to the emperor to much...The baseball stadium is the only facility that is better than UKs right now and that issue will be taken care of as soon as the football facilities are completed

Huh? I hope you meant basketball. Because their basketball arena is probably the best in the country pro or college. I hate em just like you but that basketball arena is a work of art. Could do without all the red and black everywhere but don't kid yourself about it

 

[JPScott]

Don't kid yourself losing those boosters has hurt UK fund raising. MB not good at it anyway. The SEC network bailed him out. Conversely UL has a major league GOB network and it has boosted them past UK in facilities.

While losing the good old boy network probably has led to a loss in fund raising, it was IMO the best thing to happen to UK athletics and an important reason that UK athletics has a bright future ahead of them.

The good old boys, while perhaps well intentioned, were a burden which IMO stunted the growth of the sports program and ultimately the University. Beyond that they posed a serious threat to the viability of the sports programs.

Whoever remains of that network can get on board with today's leadership and support the current programs while staying hands off, or they can continue to wax nostalgic and grouse about how much influence they think they once had. But either way it's not going back to the way it used to be and that's a good thing IMO for all concerned.

 

[preacherfan]

Whoever remains of that network can get on board with today's leadership and support the current programs while staying hands off, or they can continue to wax nostalgic and grouse about how much influence they think they once had. But either way it's not going back to the way it used to be and that's a good thing IMO for all concerned.

Agree 100%!!!!!

 

[BillyBones]

C.M was a key figure?

C.M. is a class act and he good friend.He is well respected in college athletics and is in Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame.

 

[sluggercatfan]

Huh? I hope you meant basketball. Because their basketball arena is probably the best in the country pro or college. I hate em just like you but that basketball arena is a work of art. Could do without all the red and black everywhere but don't kid yourself about it

Yes...and their crocked backdoor deal to get the chicken bucket is THE reason UK could not get Rupp done. And they will soon probably be able to buy the place for pennies on the dollar...The media and the legislators would NEVER allow UK to have such a sweetheart crooked deal...Jurich does have more funds at his disposal and I blame a lot of the boosters for that NOT MB

 

[56gregory]

For those of us fans who have been around a while, we remember the tremendous influence the Good Ole Boy network had at UK back in the day. C.M. Newton being one of the key figures.

My question is, how many of those guys are still around, and how much clout do they still have?

I've heard that one of Barnhart's prime directives when he was hired was to corral the Good Ole Boys.

I've always been interested in the goings on behind the scenes at UK.

 

[56gregory]

I believe CM took the GOB group down a peg or two, while he was here. The GOB zenith was in my mind and just my opinion at it's peak under Cliff. All those $$ handshakes allegations and the SI cover story, were under/about/during Cliff's regime.

 

[wildcatsboston1984]

I've been at much smaller schools where there are Good Ole Boy networks. There are almost always some legitimately good individuals in the lot but the networks are a disease. The money isn't worth the problems they cause.

 

[TruBluCatFan]

C.M. is a class act and he good friend.He is well respected in college athletics and is in Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame.

That may be true but doesn't make him any less of a GOB.

 

[jameslee32]

Boosters always will (by necessity) have influence.

But the Fed Ex mess + Sandy Bell = dawn of the new era.

What Fed Ex mess are you referring to exactly?

 

[Catfan in Tn.]

What Fed Ex mess are you referring to exactly?

You must be a really young fan to not know the story.

 

[jameslee32]

Humor me.

 

[Catfan in Tn.]

Do a search on Dwayne Casey.

 

[Cerastes]

While losing the good old boy network probably has led to a loss in fund raising, it was IMO the best thing to happen to UK athletics and an important reason that UK athletics has a bright future ahead of them.

The good old boys, while perhaps well intentioned, were a burden which IMO stunted the growth of the sports program and ultimately the University. Beyond that they posed a serious threat to the viability of the sports programs.

Whoever remains of that network can get on board with today's leadership and support the current programs while staying hands off, or they can continue to wax nostalgic and grouse about how much influence they think they once had. But either way it's not going back to the way it used to be and that's a good thing IMO for all concerned.

 

[jameslee32]

Do a search on Dwayne Casey.

Are there facts associated with Casey and Fed Ex that I'm unaware of? Not a mindreader, sorry.

The only story I recall concerns Chris Mills' father, Emery Air employees and $1000 that magically popped out of a package.

 

[bbsanders]

Do a search on Dwayne Casey.

 

[Catfan in Tn.]

Sorry. Emory not Fed Ex is probably what he was referring to.

 

[Cerastes]

I don't think anyone actually believes an Emory Express packages just pops open. Those things are like trying to open a pack of batteries.

 

[bbsanders]

I am 46. I have a 19 year old son. I hope his generation sees the folly in spending major money on big time athletics and big time athletics take a bath.

 

[TeoJ]

I don't think anyone actually believes an Emory Express packages just pops open. Those things are like trying to open a pack of batteries.

Exacty

 

[jameslee32]

But some believe a Fed Ex package opened instead and will remind you how little you know about the whole incident. lol

 

[Cerastes]

Jon Scott covers this pretty well on his site so I think that is pretty much the definitive answer on this.

 

[KWilt43atbuzz]

The Good Ole Boy Network virtually ended with the hiring of Tubby Smith.

 

[EastKYWildcat]

I am 46. I have a 19 year old son. I hope his generation sees the folly in spending major money on big time athletics and big time athletics take a bath.

I've always had the opinion that state funds should not be used for either UofL's or UK's stadiums and facilities.

 

[Wildcat-in-STL]

I'm sorry but what is the folly in spending money on athletics? If people hadn't spent big money on UK in the past, you aren't on this message board today since UK would only have 0 or maybe 1 titles to its name.

 

[Robcatt24]

C.M. is a class act and he good friend.He is well respected in college athletics and is in Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame.

That maybe true.

But if I recall correctly, Newton also got a house in the Bahamas from UK as a retirement gift.

C.M. also used UK to care of his son, Martin. He was an analyst on the UKTV Network for years. And I think he was a sales rep or something for the shoe company that UK used at the time.

C.M. Newton was as Good Ole Boy as they come.

 

[BillyBones]

That maybe true.

But if I recall correctly, Newton also got a house in the Bahamas from UK as a retirement gift.

C.M. also used UK to care of his son, Martin. He was an analyst on the UKTV Network for years. And I think he was a sales rep or something for the shoe company that UK used at the time.

C.M. Newton was as Good Ole Boy as they come.

The UK Athletics Board voted to give him a house Martin is now Athletic Director at Samford University making serious money.So your snide remarks mean what?

 

[BillyBones]

That may be true but doesn't make him any less of a GOB.

proves nuttin.

 

[BillyBones]

I believe CM took the GOB group down a peg or two, while he was here. The GOB zenith was in my mind and just my opinion at it's peak under Cliff. All those $$ handshakes allegations and the SI cover story, were under/about/during Cliff's regime.

that is correct..

 

[ncaaky]

CM had ONE HUNDRED THIRTY TWO basketball tickets. He leveraged that into a lot of cash and favors. When asked about his tickets he said " I have no idea how many tickets I have." When a guy is doing what he did with those tickets he knew EXACTLY how many he had.
He essentially let Pitino leave for the Celtics without putting up a fight and without making him pay his buyout. Magically his son then was able to profit on UK's new Nike apparel contract. Pitino was under contract with Converse for 5 more years.
Sleaze ball in my opinion.

 

[Aike]

The UK Athletics Board voted to give him a house Martin is now Athletic Director at Samford University making serious money.So your snide remarks mean what?

Little known trivia...Martin Newton's roommate at Samford was Steve Barker, who is now the coach at Apollo. At least I think he's still the coach.

 

[jameslee32]

That maybe true.

But if I recall correctly, Newton also got a house in the Bahamas from UK as a retirement gift.

C.M. also used UK to care of his son, Martin. He was an analyst on the UKTV Network for years. And I think he was a sales rep or something for the shoe company that UK used at the time.

C.M. Newton was as Good Ole Boy as they come.

Not sure what those things have to do with the UK GOBN prior to 1989. Newton was hired in response to the NCAA investigation of UK during the Cliff Hagan administration . Maybe because he played for Rupp, coached both Alabama and Vanderbilt, you feel he was part of a SEC insider network. I'm just not sure that's what's being discussed here at all. There were plenty of people who regarded CM as having impeccable character and a perfect hire at the time. One thing that can never be argued is his decisions resulted in the greatest success on the court since Adolph Rupp's run in the late 40's and early 50's, some 50 years later.

1995- Elite 8
1996- Champions
1997- Runner-up
1998- Champions
1999- Elite 8

 

[bigbluedon]

CM Newton was about as good ole boy as you will find. His name needs to be removed from our football stadium. I remember several years ago when he went back down south and was bragging about his time at Vandy and Alabama and he and Larry Ivy were acting like UK was nothing but crap. This was pictured on the net I believe and I think at the same time the stuff broke about him getting a house in the Bahamas with UK footing the bill. He is an assclown and took advantage of everything he could while he was here, and probably elsewhere too. He surely was part of it.