The Identical twins in college sports both in basketball and football. Kentucky basketball and Notre Dame football. They are married to each other, seriously at the hip. Side by side walking together...no, no, not in a relationship. The way they run their programs. Notre Dame footballs prestige and Kentucky basketballs greatness; both are full of history and tradition.
Its been 10 years since UK won a national title. Times that by two and its been 20 years since Notre Dame has won a national title. They are both about to add one more year for their respective schools without a winning a title honorably.
Both have had legendary coaches; Notre Dame had Rockne, Leahy, Parsegian, and Holtz (I'll talk about him in second.) Then Kentucky has had Adolph Rupp, Joe B. Hall, Eddie Sutton, and Rick Pitino (I'll get to him in second also.)
Kentucky had Rick Pitino; without a doubt he had a machine going. Then he had a dream about coaching with the Celtics, he chased it and the money (another example in the coaching profession where money talks.) Kentucky should have done whatever they could have done to keep him. If they did he might have still been their right now.
- B/R Ticket Guide
Now for Holtz he was pushed out by the administration. Rightly or wrongfully so the administration wouldn't let him get the recruits he wanted to get; the marginal players. As with Pitino the same with Holtz he should still be coaching at Notre Dame.
A piece of advice for the presidents and ADs when you have a legend on your hands DON'T get rid of them. I'll give you a great quote from the movie Sandlotter that would relate to my philosophy: " Heroes are remembered, but legends never die."
Notre Dame has 11 national titles and seven Heisman trophy winners. Kentucky has seven national titles and countless All-Americans.
Both have insane fans, but in a good way—VERY passionate! Also unrealistic expectations. I understand its good to have expectations—especially high expectations like both of those programs have. But high expectations and reality are two totally different issues.
Both have consecutive sellout streaks at their venues. A 24,000+ seat Rupp arena in Lexington and 80,000 seat stadium in South Bend that Rockne built. Both have huge ratings when it comes to the media. Every game for Kentucky can be seen on national TV (CBS, ABC/ESPN...you name it.) Notre Dame has its own home TV network, NBC(Notre Dame Broadcasting Company.) They also have top notch facilities to bring in those recruits they seem not to be getting.
Finally both use to think their schools could recruit themselves on name alone. Ha! The only way that these programs will turn the ship around is to do two simple things:just WIN—it solves a lot of problems—and outwork your opponent. You have to earn that, it won't be given to you. Then the national titles will come.
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about 1 month ago
Nice Article really enjoyed it.
from about 1 month ago
Thank you I appreciate it.
about 1 month ago
Good comparison. However, Notre Dame is not having trouble getting top recruits.
about 1 month ago
Well written article! The situations of these two programs are very identicle. But neither program is having much trouble getting top recruits. I'm not as sure about ND's recruiting as I am about UK's but since Billy G has been coach the recruits he's hauled in include:
2007:
5 Star Patrick Patterson
4 Star Alex Legion
2008:
4 Star DeAndre Liggins
4 Star Darius Miller
JUCO Kevin Galloway
JUCO Josh Harrelson
3 Star Donald Williams
2009:
5 Star Daniel Orton
4 Star Jon Hood
3 Star GJ Vilarino
2010:
5 Star Dominique Ferguson
Unranked : Dakotah Euton, KC Ross-Miller
from about 1 month ago
Thanks Robert.
about 1 month ago
Good Article except everybody in the midwest knows Notre Dame's twin is Michigan.
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