Kentucky Wildcats Basketball: Is Kentucky “Corrupting” College Basketball?

Dec 27, 2014; Louisville, KY, USA; Kentucky Wildcats guard Aaron Harrison (2) looks on during the second half against the Louisville Cardinals at KFC Yum! Center. Kentucky defeated Louisville 58-50. Mandatory Credit: Jamie Rhodes-USA TODAY Sports

I was browsing social media yesterday and came across an article that basically sums up a University of Louisville professors letter to The Courier Journal that the University of Kentucky is “corrupting college basketball”

At first, I thought this professor was just out of his mind and jealous, didn’t even bother reading the article. The article came right after the Kentucky Wildcats handed the Louisville Cardinals their first loss of the season, which just happened to be at the Yum! Center, another strike to the heart of bitter Louisville fans. I shook it off as nothing and kept on about my day.

As I got back onto social media later on, the article was everywhere. I couldn’t avoid it this time, so I read it.

Needless to say, my assumption was correct. It was a professor who is out of his mind and jealous. The Kentucky Wildcats are changing the face of college basketball and some fans just can’t handle that, not only is it not their team, it’s their arch enemy that is on everyones mind. You can turn on any basketball game and there will be some sort of a mention of the Kentucky Wildcats.

But let’s ask ourselves these questions..

Are they ruining, or “corrupting” college basketball?

No. If anything, they’re making it okay to stay more than 1 year. They’re showing what happens to you as a player, your mind and your body if you play collegiate basketball.

Are they breaking other teams hearts?

Sure, if you want to call it that. Teams know what they’re getting themselves into when they play the Kentucky Wildcats. It’s a storied program that all teams want to beat. All teams want to make the Wildcats crumble at their hands, but I highly doubt any team thinks that they should be axed, or even be used in the same sentence as “corruption”. The amount of money that the Kentucky Wildcats bring to opposing teams is crazy, it’s always their biggest game, why wouldn’t other teams support that?

It’s easy to want to watch your instate rival/arch enemy fail. It’s hard to pull for the Wildcats if you aren’t a fan, but it shouldn’t be hard to support players in reaching their dreams and supporting that change in college basketball. The Wildcats aren’t bullies, in fact, they’re pretty good kids from the times I’ve been around them. They’re a talented bunch of kids that are playing for their brothers, not themselves, the chemistry other coaches would die for. Why ridicule a bunch of kids who are enjoying themselves and not only paving the foundation of their futures, but also paving the foundation for change in college basketball?

The Wildcats are attacked for being one-and-done and are now being attacked for staying more than one year, saying their talent is “corruption,” by all means, leave the kids alone and enjoy the ride.