Dynasty

Websters defines dynasty as a powerful group that maintains dominance for a long time.  That would describe many sports teams, the New York Yankees, the Boston Celtics, the Montreal Canadians just to mention a few.  I could spend the entire column reciting franchises that could fit this definition.  In college basketball I think there is really just one, the University of Kentucky.  Sure there is a team that has won a couple more National Championships, UCLA, but none have been able to command the dominance that the Wildcats have shown going now on nine decades.  Since the arrival of Adolf Rupp in the 1930s right up to the present with John Calipari the Kentucky Wildcats have been an ever present force in college basketball.

Kentucky leads the college basketball world in almost every category, and now the present group of basketball Cats have moved the bar to an even higher level.  Since Calipari arrived in Lexington three years ago all he has manged to do is go to two straight Final Fours, three straight Elite Eights, and win a National Championship.  All while bringing in the greatest talent that this school or maybe any school has ever seen in history.  Criticism has come his way in the fact that this talent seems to only stay around for a short time and then move on to the NBA where they have fortunately become instant millioners. 

The so called Big Blue Nation, an already exuberant group, has moved the needle to a place that is even rarefied air for them.  I maintain there has been three distinct Golden Ages of Kentucky Basketball, the Rupp Years, the Pitino Years, with some really good years in between, and now the Calipari Years.  These rare occurrences happen even when sometimes we are not prepared, or perhaps, just overwhelmed by them.  This is what Big Blue Nation is in the midst of currently.  We almost take it for granted.  Sometimes it might be wise to just take stock and give thanks that we are along for the ride. In other words enjoy it while it's here.  Remember dynasties don't last forever, and they all are built on the shoulders of giants.

Mikey Cameron