Things sure have changed at Kentucky and Tennessee
January 14, 2009 by Kevin Hunter
Filed under Basketball
Remember when “upset” and “Kentucky” usually meant some unranked slob getting one of those rare wins against the Wildcats.
Man how times have changed.
I’m perusing the sports page this morning and see that the Wildcats were involved in an upset last night. Only they were the unranked slobs pulling off the upset against No. 24 Tennessee 92-72 at Knoxville.
Tennessee? Men’s basketball? Being upset? This is supposed to be a football school.
Coach Bruce Pearl has done a great job in turning the Volunteers (10-4) into one of the top teams in the Southeast Conference and the nation. Last season after a two-day stint at No. 1, there was even talk about a national championship.
Kentucky (13-4) on the other hand has struggled since winning the school’s last national championship under Tubby Smith in 1998. The Wildcats, with seven national titles and have been a NCAA tournament and top 25 fixture since the 1930’s, have fallen off the map in recent years.
The win against Tennessee was impressive and may be a sign of normalcy as the Wildcats try to regain its national swagger.
Junior guard Jodie Meeks scored 54 points, breaking Dan Issel’s 39-year-old school record of 53 in the win.
Man. Talk about your Bizaro World. Tennessee is now a men’s basketball power while its traditional national power football team struggles and loses to teams like UCLA.
Kentucky basketball is down and the football team is playing in bowl games every year now.
What’s next? The Arizona Cardinals going to the Super Bowl?
