Duke and UK Home and Away Series

[KYtotheCore]

I'm casting my vote as "ABSOLUTELY". I realize that it would probably give the edge to Duke since your players stick around longer than a year. I don't think the UNC game really holds the excitement it might have once had here.

The tourney has proven to be too random, at least when we weren't Gillispied into the NIT (Thanks a lot Billie-Clyde). I think it would be a great game for the two fanbases convinced their team is the other's talent superior (at least according to their respective forums). A few days ago I read a UK post that mentioned that if Duke doesn't get calls from the refs that they depend on . . . etc. http://kentucky.rivals.com/forum.asp...&fid=1383&pid=Posts are just speculation. Let's play (regularly) to end all the speculation. I'm sure each fanbase would be willing. Anybody know how to get a petition worth consideration rolling?

[Duvall]

I would enjoy a home-and-home series with Indiana or UCLA; I would love a home-and-home series with Kansas. I don't think Duke should have a home-and-home with Kentucky.

It has nothing to do with Calipari or the Kentucky program; I just don't think Kentucky fans are emotionally mature enough to handle that yet. Maybe in another twenty years or so.

[DeBlueDevil]

I'm always open to any home and home series with any of those Elite programs. But to say that UNC/Duke isn't what it quite was is a joke! What do they both have to be ranked in the top 10 for it to be exciting?! Thats the beauty of this game is that no matter how the other team is doing you can never sleep on them as you know it will be a battle. DUKE/UNC IMO will always be the best rivalry in college bball year in and year out.

[DukieInBrasil]

DeBlue:

I think he was referring to the KY/UNC series, not our rivalry with UNC. I think he was taking a jab at UNC (ie., they're pathetic this year) while paying us a compliment, ie., that we are a solid opponent.

[Johnboy]

I'm always open to any home and home series with any of those Elite programs. But to say that UNC/Duke isn't what it quite was is a joke!

I don't think KYtotheCore said that - I interpreted the "here" to be in KY, so he was referring to the UNC-UK series.

[DeBlueDevil]

Ok didn't quite read it that way the first. I definitely see your point. Sorry about that!

[hurleyfor3]

Without re-hashing the "whom should we play out of conference" topic for the 78569834694th time, our big non-conference opponents generally are chosen because:

* they allow us to play games in places with large Duke alumni presences (this includes neutral-site series in places like East Rutherford)
* they provide us with recruiting exposure
* they allow us to play in places our players are from
* the opposing schools/programs/coaches are broady idealogically similar to us
* (often overlooked) they prepare us for sites where ACC/NCAA Tournament games are held that year

Kentucky doesn't fit any of these criteria, unless we play them in the NYC area or perhaps Greensboro. Nor does Kansas. Villanova would work quite well, however.

[airowe]

We're already going to do a home and home with Louisville starting soon.

How many disreputable coaches do we have to play?

[KyDevilinIL]

I think it's good for the game when elite programs play each other during the nonconference season. College basketball has trouble stealing the spotlight from football, but the big-name, essentially made-for-TV games in November and December certainly help.

That said, I think Duke-UK is in a different category. The "rivalry" – fueled almost entirely by folks on my side of the mountains – is almost entirely dependent on a history of monumental and/or memorable NCAA Tournament games. The rarity with which Duke-UK matchups occur makes it perhaps the most wished-for tourney game from a TV standpoint, but definitely one of the top two or three.

It's stunning to me that Duke and Kentucky haven't met in the tournament since 1998, especially considering that both schools are often bracketed similarly in regard to geography. Of course, in 2001 UK didn't hold up its end of the bargain; in 2005 we didn't hold up ours.

But that's what makes it special, in my opinion. It doesn't often happen, and the tourney meetings aren't watered down by recent regular-season results. Whenever it happens again – I think there's a strong possibility we'll be bracketed with UK this March – it will be enormous, especially after more than a decade of waiting.

[shoutingncu]

...Whenever it happens again – I think there's a strong possibility we'll be bracketed with UK this March – it will be enormous, especially after more than a decade of waiting.

I will almost... almost... be rooting for Duke in any early round match-up that will lead to this showdown.

[BlueintheFace]

We're already going to do a home and home with Louisville starting soon.

How many disreputable coaches do we have to play?

Seconded

[weezie]

How many disreputable coaches do we have to play?

I missed this comment yesterday but it's still hilarious! What about a tourny of suspect coaches...

[Newton_14]

I'm casting my vote as "ABSOLUTELY". I realize that it would probably give the edge to Duke since your players stick around longer than a year. I don't think the UNC game really holds the excitement it might have once had here.

The tourney has proven to be too random, at least when we weren't Gillispied into the NIT (Thanks a lot Billie-Clyde). I think it would be a great game for the two fanbases convinced their team is the other's talent superior (at least according to their respective forums). A few days ago I read a UK post that mentioned that if Duke doesn't get calls from the refs that they depend on . . . etc. http://kentucky.rivals.com/forum.asp...&fid=1383&pid=Posts are just speculation. Let's play (regularly) to end all the speculation. I'm sure each fanbase would be willing. Anybody know how to get a petition worth consideration rolling?

Interesting post for a couple of reasons. Why call for this now rather than say last year, or the year before that? Why now? The timing of your request seems a bit odd.

And there are Kentucky fans that buy into the "Duke gets all the calls" conspiracy? Shocking. Yet inspite of believing that, you want to come to CIS every other year and get it on? Amazing.

At any rate, good luck with your petition and getting a series with Duke. There's a better chance of Wall and Cousins being All-SEC as sophomores than that happening..

[BlueintheFace]

I missed this comment yesterday but it's still hilarious! What about a tourny of suspect coaches...

Are we talking all time? What would that Final Four be like?

(1) Tarkanian v (4) Wooden

(2) Bliss v (3) Calipari

Also-Rans:

Calhoun
Tim Floyd
Harrick
Eustachy
O'Brien
Jarvis

[KYtotheCore]

I think it's good for the game when elite programs play each other during the nonconference season. College basketball has trouble stealing the spotlight from football, but the big-name, essentially made-for-TV games in November and December certainly help.

That said, I think Duke-UK is in a different category. The "rivalry" – fueled almost entirely by folks on my side of the mountains – is almost entirely dependent on a history of monumental and/or memorable NCAA Tournament games. The rarity with which Duke-UK matchups occur makes it perhaps the most wished-for tourney game from a TV standpoint, but definitely one of the top two or three.

It's stunning to me that Duke and Kentucky haven't met in the tournament since 1998, especially considering that both schools are often bracketed similarly in regard to geography. Of course, in 2001 UK didn't hold up its end of the bargain; in 2005 we didn't hold up ours.

But that's what makes it special, in my opinion. It doesn't often happen, and the tourney meetings aren't watered down by recent regular-season results. Whenever it happens again – I think there's a strong possibility we'll be bracketed with UK this March – it will be enormous, especially after more than a decade of waiting.

Nice response. This is exactly why it would be highly-antcipated!

[Battery]

Considering Coach K has never set foot on Franklin Street and never ventures into Chapel Hill i'm not sure he ever wants to go near Lexington, KY. They're a different breed of nuts there. And anyone remember the Laettner interview where he refuses to stop anywhere in kentucky while he's driving through? Not gonna happen..

I would rather see a Duke-Nova, Duke-UCLA or Duke-KU (in "neutral" Chicago) every year.