NCAA Tourney so far...

[VT/UK Rondo]

A U.K. Basketball fan probably has more knowledge of U.K. Basketball than a basketball fan of another school but not necessarily more knowledge of the game than fans from other schools....that's nothing but an elitist attitude that you expect from U.K., UNC and Alabama fans. HR, I Luv Bama says Hi...

I know absolutely nothing about college lacrosse. I hear UVA is pretty damn good at it. I had to search to make sure UK even had a lacrosse team. Which fanbase would likely know more about lacrosse?

Your letting your hatred/jealousy of UK basketabll cloud your common sense. Thats ok I understand, you being a UVA alum and the newby love of Hoo basketaball over the past 4-5 years. Maybe one year UVA will get past the second week of the tourney. Until then, you still got all of those national titles and then there are all of those olympic sports you got. On the bright side, being a alum, you can go on to UVA baseball and wont have to think about basketball until next November. At UK, basketball season never ends for the elitists. .

 

[VT/UK Rondo]

No. In many cases, if not most, following a team/sport particularly at the college level has little to do with knowledge of the sport. It's more of a social/association thing than a true sports thing. I think the people on here are a little more knowledgeable of the sport and informed of the sport at their particular school.

Have you ever seen 25,000 people fill up an arena to watch a High School basketball tournament. Happens here every year. Basketball is part of the culture in Kentucky as much as horse racing and good bourbon. There are basketball rims in every backyard. Every new father buys their son a basketball at birth. They live and breathe college basketball and it goes much deeper than a Saturday trip to Rupp in a new sweater followed up by dinner and shopping.

I dont expect folks to understand. When I moved here 20+ years ago from Va I didnt understand it either. If a Kentucky resident is the least interested in sports, they will likely be basketball obsessed and willing to talk basketball 12 months out of the year. And it wont just be UK basketabll, they will know coaching changes...who Kansas has returning...who should win the ACC next season...crazy shit that makes you want to say "dude get a life". Its like they make it their duty to be versed in knowledge in case of a quiz.

 

[Hoos19NC]

I know absolutely nothing about college lacrosse. I hear UVA is pretty damn good at it. I had to search to make sure UK even had a lacrosse team. Which fanbase would likely know more about lacrosse?

Your letting your hatred/jealousy of UK basketabll cloud your common sense. Thats ok I understand, you being a UVA alum and the newby love of Hoo basketaball over the past 4-5 years. Maybe one year UVA will get past the second week of the tourney. Until then, you still got all of those national titles and then there are all of those olympic sports you got. On the bright side, being a alum, you can go on to UVA baseball and wont have to think about basketball until next November. At UK, basketball season never ends for the elitists. .

LMAO.....maybe the great UK needs to learn there are many other great sports being played everyday at Universities all across our great country. I don't hate UK, I can't stand the scum coach you have and the fact your university would stoop to his cesspool level to win. Sorry lacrosse is above your head, great sport for those smart enough to understand the game.

 

[HeaksManley]

So UK football fans are just as knowledgeable in football as VT fans? All the football success, recruiting, 10 win seasons, bowl appearances etc mean nothing? Things such as a rich football culture in Va vs poor football culture in Kentucky doesnt put VT fans at an advantage when it comes to knowledge of college football?
If things such as culture, history, tradition, winning, not having any other sport to follow etc...doesnt make a fan more knowledgeable in a sport then what does?

I've never claimed VT football fans are particularly knowledgeable. God knows I've been victim of VT-tinted bias over the past decade that made honest analysis difficult. As for the general fans, I have met a lot of die-hard VT fans and alumni who don't know squat about football beyond a TD = 6 points, a FG = 3, and there are 4 quarters. My own family is full of people like this, in fact.

Maybe that's a little coarse, but they don't care about the technical details or more intricate aspects of the game. It's an emotional affair for them, and it's that way for most fans or wins and losses would have no bearing on fan base size and support. Not a knock on fans of successful programs, just the way it is IMO.

 

[VT/UK Rondo]

LMAO.....maybe the great UK needs to learn there are many other great sports being played everyday at Universities all across our great country. I don't hate UK, I can't stand the scum coach you have and the fact your university would stoop to his cesspool level to win. Sorry lacrosse is above your head, great sport for those smart enough to understand the game.

Yeah yeah yeah...you only hate him because you know you cant have him.

 

[VT/UK Rondo]

I've never claimed VT football fans are particularly knowledgeable. God knows I've been victim of VT-tinted bias over the past decade that made honest analysis difficult. As for the general fans, I have met a lot of die-hard VT fans and alumni who don't know squat about football beyond a TD = 6 points, a FG = 3, and there are 4 quarters. My own family is full of people like this, in fact.

Maybe that's a little coarse, but they don't care about the technical details or more intricate aspects of the game. It's an emotional affair for them, and it's that way for most fans or wins and losses would have no bearing on fan base size and support. Not a knock on fans of successful programs, just the way it is IMO.

Heaks, Ive lived in both places and I can tell you honestly there is a difference. VT fans are generally more knowledgeable in football while UK fans are generally more knowledgeable in basketball. Its not just at the collegiate level but it goes back to culture. The state of Virginia is just football country, even the more rural areas of the southwestern part of the state. Sadly, until just recently alot of the rural areas in Kentucky didnt even have organized football until a kid reached High School. Things have gotten better but the state is still a basketball first state. When your exposed to those sports from a young age and it is the center of sports conversation you have no choice but to learn them. Im not speaking in absolutes because there are exceptions to every rule surely there are "status" fans and alums lacking in knowledge but overall as a whole, MY experience is VT fans are more knowledgeable in football and UK fans are more knowledgeable in basketball.

 

[Hoos19NC]

Yeah yeah yeah...you only hate him because you know you cant have him.

You tell yourself he's not a cesspool coach and click your heels three times and maybe your wishes will come true. If UVA ever fell into the depths of hiring scum like Cal, I'd be done with basketball. I can't believe VT fans would ever want this prick at Tech.....UK fans obviously have no standards, it's win at any cost. but we are all glad for you....now let's put your VT football hat on and screw UK football. I can send you a UVA baseball cap and you will be covered until fall.....let me know.

 

[VT/UK Rondo]

Congrats to UNC. They had a good year.

 

[Hoos19NC]

Congrats to UNC. They had a good year.

That's what happens when you don't have to go to class.

 

[VT/UK Rondo]

You tell yourself he's not a cesspool coach and click your heels three times and maybe your wishes will come true. If UVA ever fell into the depths of hiring scum like Cal, I'd be done with basketball. I can't believe VT fans would ever want this prick at Tech.....UK fans obviously have no standards, it's win at any cost. but we are all glad for you....now let's put your VT football hat on and screw UK football. I can send you a UVA baseball cap and you will be covered until fall.....let me know.

Hell no, you keep your hat. You better hope that scum stays at UK because alot of the UK fans list your Bennett as a possible replacement when he leaves. Me not so much...at least until he proves he can get past the first weekend of the tournament.

 

[swmrappell]

I agree with many on here about the general knowledge of sports. Being truly knowledgeable is something beyond the reach of most of us as we have other responsibilities to attend to - jobs, family, life. With that in mind, most fans generally gravitate to knowledge around the sports their school is good at.

This is all generalization and there are always the exceptions.

 

[Hoos19NC]

Hell no, you keep your hat. You better hope that scum stays at UK because alot of the UK fans list your Bennett as a possible replacement when he leaves. Me not so much...at least until he proves he can get past the first weekend of the tournament.

He's been past the first weekend....just sayin. He doesn't fit at UK, don't see losing him to you.

 

[HeaksManley]

Heaks, Ive lived in both places and I can tell you honestly there is a difference. VT fans are generally more knowledgeable in football while UK fans are generally more knowledgeable in basketball. Its not just at the collegiate level but it goes back to culture. The state of Virginia is just football country, even the more rural areas of the southwestern part of the state. Sadly, until just recently alot of the rural areas in Kentucky didnt even have organized football until a kid reached High School. Things have gotten better but the state is still a basketball first state. When your exposed to those sports from a young age and it is the center of sports conversation you have no choice but to learn them. Im not speaking in absolutes because there are exceptions to every rule surely there are "status" fans and alums lacking in knowledge but overall as a whole, MY experience is VT fans are more knowledgeable in football and UK fans are more knowledgeable in basketball.

I mean, all this really demonstrates is that VT fans are more likely to be football fans and UK fans are more likely to be basketball fans. Just in terms of statistical probability, you're going to encounter more of those two types from each school due to program prestige. But that doesn't really touch on the (comparatively) small, less visible contingent of VT basketball fans and UK football fans. It's harder to gauge the average from such small sample sizes. That's not surprising because fans gravitate toward success and consistency. I think you're also discounting the less visible fans of the two fan bases who might don the gear, attend and watch the games, but don't immerse themselves in the sport 24/7. Those types are much more common than super fans are.

Still, that does not mean in general, or on average, their knowledge is greater. The conflation of interest and knowledge is pretty common with successful programs and fan bases, and bias from more entitled programs mars any degree of objectivity often. I've encountered diehard fans from tons of schools, both online and in real life, and nothing I've seen has led me to believe UNC fans are particularly knowledgeable of basketball so much as strident supporters of their team. This is also the same with Duke basketball fans, UK basketball fans and especially VT football fans. Success is not conducive to fan knowledge, it just means the likelihood of a devoted base is greater, thus skewing the numbers of diehards in its favor.

 

[Hampton Roads 6]

I will never forget a post someone put on here when VT joined the ACC.

Someone said they had "never met a Duke football fan". Another poster replied: "they hang out with VT basketball fans

 

[swmrappell]

I will never forget a post someone put on here when VT joined the ACC.

Someone said they had "never met a Duke football fan". Another poster replied: "they hang out with VT basketball fans

Well with Buzz I am hoping the later becomes more evident.

 

[VT/UK Rondo]

Alexander-walker and Bede will be difference makers.VT basketball should improve even more next season. I wouldnt be surprised to see them move up the ACC food chain passing FSU and UVA.

 

[~Keyser Soze~]

Didn't even Tubby Smith win a National Championship at Kentucky, though? Don't get all butt-hurt, dude. Cal's put 30+ players into the NBA at Kentucky, and it's produced one National Championship. Three of those 30 players, BTW, (Boogie, Davis and Wall), are probably future Hall of Famers. Towns is also insanely good. All I'm saying is Cal-coached teams are typically extraordinarily talented and limited in experience.

When you couple the aforementioned factors with a coach who is not great on game day, you're basically playing the lottery. You're getting what you paid for. Some years it pays off, when he can simply get out of the way and let the talent do its thing, but game day coaching has never been his strong suit and never will be. But Kentucky's a perfect fit for him, because he doesn't have to change anything he was doing at Memphis or UMass and he gets much better talent now.

This aint football, in basketball upsets are far more likely to happen and it's a single elimination tournament. The team ranked #1 going into the tournament wins about 12% of the time. Thats the lowest by far of any sport. Since when does "NBA talent" equate to championships? How many titles did the Fab 5 win with all that NBA talent? What about the UNC teams with Vince Carter and Antwan Jamison, what about Jerry Stackhouse and Rasheed Wallace, what about the Drexler Olajuwon Houston teams, what about Mourning and Mutombo at Georgetown, or the Russell Westbrook, Kevin Love UCLA teams?

 

[Hampton Roads 6]

College basketball is better when teams win without NBA talent.

Actually every sport is better when teams without pro talent.

 

[Hoos19NC]

College basketball is better when teams win without NBA talent.

Actually every sport is better when teams without pro talent.

Guess that's why you are a Bud fan.....he has gotten more out of less talent than any coach I can think of.

 

[HeaksManley]

This aint football, in basketball upsets are far more likely to happen and it's a single elimination tournament. The team ranked #1 going into the tournament wins about 12% of the time. Thats the lowest by far of any sport. Since when does "NBA talent" equate to championships? How many titles did the Fab 5 win with all that NBA talent? What about the UNC teams with Vince Carter and Antwan Jamison, what about Jerry Stackhouse and Rasheed Wallace, what about the Drexler Olajuwon Houston teams, what about Mourning and Mutombo at Georgetown, or the Russell Westbrook, Kevin Love UCLA teams?

Did you even read my post? I'm clearly implying that you need a mixture of talent and experience to contend, otherwise it's a crap shoot. That's why Coach Cal teams are typically just rolling the dice.

Also, of course upsets happen, but name a single NCAA Champion in the past 20 years that hasn't had at least one future NBA player or star on its team. Nova in 2016? Even 2005 UNC had Lawson and Felton who are still in the league. 3 of those 5 Florida starters on that back-to-back team were first rounders. 2010 Duke? 2009 UNC? Even that amazing Butler team had Hayward who's quickly becoming one of the best outside-in forwards in the league. Upsets rarely go all the way to the title game, as well. While some giants go down early, even late at times, it's generally the most talented and experienced teams who put together a complete run.

Seriously, dude, go down this list: click

You'll notice names like Kemba Walker, Joakim Noah, Magic Johnson, Anthony Davis, Carmelo Anthony, Christian Laettner, Isiah Thomas, James Worthy, etc. That's just a brief run-down of players selected as MVPs; if you take a closer look at those rosters, they're all littered with future NBA Hall of Famers, as well as role players who had (and are still having) lengthy NBA careers. So is it the end-all/be-all? No, but there is a high level of correlation and while it does not ensure you will win a title, it's basically impossible to win a title without at least one or two future NBA stars. Kansas in '08 and Louisville a few years back are the only two teams I can think of off the top of my head in recent history (since one-and-done rule), and Louisville still had Harrell, while Kansas had Mario Chalmers.

Btw, great first post for someone who's been a member for almost 15 years. Whose parachute account would you happen to be?

 

[Hampton Roads 6]

I have not watched NBA game in probably 20 years. Doubt if I could name 5 players in NBA and their teams. I know Curry is at Golden State and the James guy in Cleveland. That's about it.

 

[HeaksManley]

I have not watched NBA game in probably 20 years. Doubt if I could name 5 players in NBA and their teams. I know Curry is at Golden State and the James guy in Cleveland. That's about it.

As far as professional sports go, the NBA is the best product out there, IMO. I can't stand the NFL. I love the MLB as well, but the NBA is the most competently managed and the playoffs are always extremely exciting. People give the NBA a lot of crap, because so much of the regular season seems superfluous with 50% of the teams qualifying for playoff spots, but it's usually people who haven't watched a game in 10-15 years or longer who are the most critical, and as a result they don't really know anything about the NBA or the game's evolution over the past few decades.

 

[Hoos19NC]

I have not watched NBA game in probably 20 years. Doubt if I could name 5 players in NBA and their teams. I know Curry is at Golden State and the James guy in Cleveland. That's about it.

That's 2.....let me give you 3 more, Joe Harris, Justin Anderson and Malcolm Brogden. Always glad to help....

 

[Hampton Roads 6]

The NBA is the worst sports league in the nation. not to mention, the Commissioner is a total_________________ .

 

[HeaksManley]

The NBA is the worst sports league in the nation. not to mention, the Commissioner is a total_________________ .

How is it the worst league in the nation, exactly? It treats its players a hell of a lot better than the NFL does, doesn't try to sabotage the players' Union or CBA, and Silver doesn't crack a whip with draconian rules the way "sheriff" my-daddy-worked-here Goodell does. Not to mention its billion-dollar cover-up of CTE, shoulder-shrugging at domestic violence, and its billion-dollar exclusivity contracts that make it almost impossible to see more than 1 decent out-of-market game a year without throwing down a lot of money. The NFL is garbage, and managed by a petulant little jackass who lucked into a job because daddy wrote a letter.

I can't speak for the NHL, but the MLB is also managed much better than the NFL. The NCAA is arguably more corrupt, though, for obvious reasons. When education and profit intersect there's typically a problem. The fact that players are not compensated for the billions they generate is also ethically questionable at best.

 

[HeaksManley]

That's 2.....let me give you 3 more, Joe Harris, Justin Anderson and Malcolm Brogden. Always glad to help....

You should probably mention Jarrell Eddie and Malcolm Delaney as well, just in the interest of fairness.

 

[Hoos19NC]

You should probably mention Jarrell Eddie and Malcolm Delaney as well, just in the interest of fairness.

Fair enough....but HR would recognize more Duke players since he's a Dookie during Basketball season.

 

[HeaksManley]

Fair enough....but HR would recognize more Duke players since he's a Dookie during Basketball season.

BTW, if Chris Clarke finds a jump shot in the next few years, and Bede and Alexander-Walker live up to their billing, you may need to add a few more Hokies to that list!