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Analysis: It's time for Indiana-Kentucky to be an annual event again

IndyHutch

By IndyHutch

    • It's good that the NCAA Tournament committee found a way to get Indiana and Kentucky back on the hardwood again but it's time for both schools to find a way to make this an annual event once again. Here's my take.

I’m looking forward to finding out if we see Indiana-Kentucky intensity Saturday afternoon in Des Moines.

 

I know we’re going to see second-round-of-the-NCAA-Tournament intensity and with a trip to the Sweet Sixteen on the line that much is a given.

 

And the crowd that will be on hand should make it seem closer to IU-Kentucky intensity.

 

But here’s the reality of the situation. There is not a player on either the Kentucky or Indiana roster that has ever played in an Indiana-Kentucky game. Not one Indiana player knows what it feels like to play the Wildcats in Rupp. Not one Kentucky player knows what it feels like to play in front of 17,000 plus at Assembly Hall.

 

And when you experience it, that’s when I think you truly understand Indiana vs. Kentucky basketball. I still remember those days when they would play on a neutral site at Freedom Hall and the court would be split right down the middle with a sea of red on one side and a sea of blue on the other. Each side would have 10,000 fans. And it was a spectacle. It was a college basketball rivalry at its best.

 

But I just don’t it’s the same when your knowledge of IU-Kentucky is from watching replays of the Wat Shot. Troy Williams said he watched that game from home. So did OG Anunoby. Yogi Ferrell said he had a game that day but he taped it and watched it later.

 

The Indiana and Kentucky kids that played in the annual Indiana-Kentucky high school series get it a little bit more than those who didn’t. But to expect everyone else just to get mega-hyped because it’s Indiana-Kentucky may be asking a bit much.

 

They’ll get mega-hyped because a trip to the Sweet Sixteen is on the line. But asking this game to mean as much to the players as it does to the fan bases I think is asking a lot.

 

Now I’ll admit I hope that these players grow to love that rivalry once again after the powers-that-be finally come to their senses and end this silliness and find a way to re-instate the IU-Kentucky rivalry. There has to be a compromise. To just say there’s no way to resolve the differences in philosophy here is a cop out.

 

It’s time for the two schools to quit relying on the NCAA Tournament committee to do their work for them and find a way for these two historic programs to play on an annual basis.

 

I’m happy to see IU-Kentucky facing off again Saturday in Des Moines.

 

But it’s time for this to become an annual event, too.

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HoosierAloha

I'm all for an annual showdown with puke again.  I don't understand how one side compromised to include the other sides' wishes, as well as their own, and they still didn't accept.  The only explanation is the "non-traditional program" and Cal being a little female dog. 

 

Beat the crap out of them tomorrow and then have their AD sign a 4 year contract!

johnsoniu, IUsafety, IU Hoosier41 and 5 others reacted to this

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Str8Hoosiers

Somebody should send a note to Fred Glass & Mitch Barnhart.... Side bet on today's game.... Winner picks the venue for the series to resume... No ifs ands or buts....

BtownBanner6 and IUsafety reacted to this

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Dalton26
Both coaches need to get over it and bring the rivalry back. I know everyone blames Cal but Crean could have just as easily accepted the Home-Home-Neutral-Neutral. Both need to realize the rivalry is bigger than either of them.
BlueDevil reacted to this

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Uspshoosier

Both coaches need to get over it and bring the rivalry back. I know everyone blames Cal but Crean could have just as easily accepted the Home-Home-Nuetral-Neutral. Both need to realize the rivalry is bigger than either of them.

crean offered the home-home-neutral-neutral cal turned it down
HoosierAloha, Napleshoosier and IUsafety reacted to this

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biteoftheapple

Both coaches need to get over it and bring the rivalry back. I know everyone blames Cal but Crean could have just as easily accepted the Home-Home-Neutral-Neutral. Both need to realize the rivalry is bigger than either of them.


I like the old arrangement, of always a neutral site. Indy and Louisville in play for these.
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JSHoosier

crean offered the home-home-neutral-neutral cal turned it down

This.  We made the offer, and Cal's "non-traditional" program couldn't have a 4 year contract.  We made the effort and they didn't; I'm as critical of Crean as anyone and the series ending is all on Cal/UK.

Class of '66 Old Fart reacted to this

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Dalton26
Cal rejected both Neutral games being in Indiana and Crean rejected 1 being in Kentucky and the other in Indiana is the way I've always heard it. I could be wrong it's been a few years but that's the way I've always heard it.

Irregardless the rivalry needs to come back.

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Uspshoosier

Well dang. Idk why I've always thought it was the other way around. My apologies good sir

like you said regardless of who is to blame these 2 friends need to figure it out and start playing again
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AKHoosier

I'm tired of IU taking some of the blame here, as this solely is the result of UK/Calipari.

 

They don't want to play us because they don't care about rivalries, or they don't think we are a rival, or they want to do other neutral site matchups with other programs.

 

Fine, whatever.  That's their prerogative.  But I'm tired of people like Dickie V. blaming the egos of both coaches, when there's really only one coach at fault here.

 

We can find a way to play though, do 2 home-and-home games and 2 neutral site locations, such as:

 

2016: Assembly Hall

2017: Rupp Area

2018: Toronto (wherever the Raptors play)

2019: Indianapolis

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BlueDevil

I'm tired of IU taking some of the blame here, as this solely is the result of UK/Calipari.

They don't want to play us because they don't care about rivalries, or they don't think we are a rival, or they want to do other neutral site matchups with other programs.

Fine, whatever. That's their prerogative. But I'm tired of people like Dickie V. blaming the egos of both coaches, when there's really only one coach at fault here.

We can find a way to play though, do 2 home-and-home games and 2 neutral site locations, such as:

2016: Assembly Hall
2017: Rupp Area
2018: Toronto (wherever the Raptors play)
2019: Indianapolis


Some of the blame lies on IU though. Kentucky had their proposition and IU had theirs. Neither could agree and that lies on both of them.

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HoosierAloha

Some of the blame lies on IU though. Kentucky had their proposition and IU had theirs. Neither could agree and that lies on both of them.

 

And then IU compromised to include both and puke refused it, again.  Should IU just completely drop everything to concede to puke?  I don't think so.

IUsafety, JaybobHoosier, Class of '66 Old Fart and 1 other reacted to this

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IndyHutch

No, this was definitely Crean's offer and Cal wanted all neutral site games. Cal offered a three-year deal with Indy, Indy and Louisville.

I've never heard of it being that way.

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BlueDevil

Cal wants Indy games because of recruiting presence.


That's all it is for him. $$$ and recruiting. Playing on the big stage.
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JaybobHoosier

Some of the blame lies on IU though. Kentucky had their proposition and IU had theirs. Neither could agree and that lies on both of them.


Agree with Aloha. IU and Crean compromised to do both. He felt every class should get to see a home game. IU and Crean are in the right, they compromised but Cal wouldn't. Little babies that took their ball and went home!
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