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Kentucky Basketball: College Hoops’ Top Job

By Terry Brown

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Usually, the summer months are a “dead” period when it comes to college basketball. Sure, there are a few recruit signings and fans all over are excited when the freshman class finally arrives on campus, but college football customarily dominates the news cycle. To counteract that, the good folks at CBS Sports have conducted anonymous polls the last few summers to get some talking points to get college hoops fans, well, talking. And this year is no different. In the latest published poll, CBS asked college basketball coaches What job is the best job in college basketball? And to no one’s surprise, being the head coach at the University of Kentucky was number one.

Forget that the Big Blue Nation correctly refers to Kentucky Basketball as “The Greatest Tradition in College Basketball.” The simple facts put the Wildcats head and shoulders above the rest. Thousands of fans camp out for the first practice of the year. The BBN travels like no other college basketball fan base (ask SEC coaches about the Blue Mist). For Kentucky basketball fans, there is no offseason. Rightly or wrongly, the fans and their unwavering support have made the Wildcat program what it is. And in the right hands, no program can reach higher heights.

A highlight from the CBS article:

"History shows that if you’re A) fortunate enough to get the Kentucky or North Carolina job, and B) competent enough to keep the job for at least five seasons, you’ll win a national title.There are literally no exceptions to that rule — dating back more than 50 years."

We all know that Kentucky has had five different coaches win titles (Rupp, Hall, Pitino, Smith, Calipari), but have you really thought about how really impressive that is? Since Adolph Rupp got to Lexington in 1930, all coaches with 5 years or more on the job have won a NCAA title. Sure, North Carolina is in that conversation, but Michael Jordan hasn’t passed through the Wildcat program. Current head coach John Calipari refers to the Wildcats as the “gold standard” in college basketball. It’s hard to argue when, according to one coach to CBS: There’s a blank check for those guys to do what they need to do to maintain a level of greatness.”

A lot of folks outside of the Bluegrass seem to believe that Coach Cal and his one-and-dones put Kentucky basketball on the map, but that’s simply not the case. Since the NCAA was established, only one program has been in the top 10 in wins in every decade: the Kentucky Wildcats. The Wildcats have more wins and a better winning percentage than every other college basketball team. The Wildcats won when college hoops was segregated. The Wildcats won when short shorts and knee-high socks were the rage. The Wildcats won when the three-point shot was introduced. And, yes, the Wildcats have won in the one-and-done era. Times change, the way the game changes and yet the won real constant has been Kentucky basketball winning.

Of course the Kentucky Wildcats’ head coaching job is the best in college basketball. As Al McGuire put it: “They had it before you, they had it during you, they’ll have it when you’re gone”.

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