Kentucky fans can turn anything into a ranking.
Point guards. Coaches. Best teams that didn’t win it. Worst losses that still annoy us. You name it, BBN will argue about it like there’s a trophy involved.
So on Christmas, let’s be honest about something else that has tiers.
Side dishes.
Kentucky basketball fans know the difference between elite and overrated
The same way Kentucky fans can tell the difference between a good player and a program legend, you can tell the difference between a solid side dish and something that actually makes the plate.
Not everything deserves the same respect.
Some things are just… there (cranberry sauce, looking at you.)
Anthony Davis is mashed potatoes
Mashed potatoes are the foundation. They aren’t flashy. They don’t need to be.
They just make everything else better.
That’s Anthony Davis at Kentucky. The plate looks right when he’s there. The season looks right when he’s there. You stop asking questions because the answers are obvious.
John Wall is mac and cheese
Mac and cheese doesn’t blend in. It shows up loud. It’s the first thing people reach for, and the first thing that disappears.
That’s John Wall.
Energy. Style. Everybody suddenly wants seconds.
Jamal Mashburn is dressing
Dressing is for people who know. It’s the side dish that turns a good meal into a serious one.
Mashburn had that same effect. Not just talent, presence. The kind of presence that changes what the room feels like.
Dan Issel is green beans done right
Green beans can be boring. But when they’re done right, they’re elite and you feel smug about choosing them.
That’s Dan Issel. Kentucky history, production, no gimmicks.
Sweet potato casserole is the one-and-done debate
Some people swear by it. Some people think it’s dessert pretending to be a side.
That’s the Kentucky one-and-done era in food form. High upside, polarizing, absolutely capable of stealing the show, and also capable of ruining your meal as they miss the tournament.
And the 2020 season is green bean casserole, we wonder why it even exists in the first place.
Kentucky basketball is at its best when the plate is balanced
This is the part where we pretend this was purely a food post and not secretly a Kentucky basketball lesson.
The best meals aren’t just one thing. The best teams aren’t either.
Merry Christmas to BBN, and may your plate be stacked the right way.