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Kentucky Considered Leaving SEC for ACC in 1990's
Posted on 6/20/14 at 1:49 pm
Posted on 6/20/14 at 1:49 pm
quote:
@MarkEnnis: Fascinating. Kentucky had discussions with the ACC about joining the league in the early 1990s. LINK
quote:
In the 1990s, during C.M. Newton's tenure as Kentucky athletics director and Charles Wethington's time as UK president, Kentucky had exploratory talks about leaving the SEC for the ACC.
"We talked to them very seriously, but very quietly," Newton said last week. "Dr. Wethington had me go over and talk to them for a short period one evening."
Among the officials he met with, Newton said, were then-ACC Commissioner Gene Corrigan and then-Duke Athletics Director Tom Butters.
"They wanted us to come on and join their league," Newton said. "I thought, with the way (UK) football was (struggling in the SEC), that might have been the best path for us. I always felt like (Florida State) was an SEC school in the ACC and Kentucky an ACC school in the SEC."
This post was edited on 6/20/14 at 2:06 pm
7
Posted on 6/20/14 at 1:50 pm to undecided
Understandable for that time period
Posted on 6/20/14 at 1:50 pm to undecided
They would fit right in.
Posted on 6/20/14 at 2:11 pm to undecided
quote:
"They wanted us to come on and join their league," Newton said. "I thought, with the way (UK) football was (struggling in the SEC), that might have been the best path for us. I always felt like (Florida State) was an SEC school in the ACC and Kentucky an ACC school in the SEC."
This is spot on. Why is Slive not pushing for this? I'm sure the ACC would love another basketball power.
Posted on 6/20/14 at 2:39 pm to undecided
UK got lucky they didn't leave. IMHO
Posted on 6/20/14 at 4:09 pm to undecided
I still believe UK and Mizzou are the main 2 schools we need to keep our eye on if there are any SEC schools who might leave the SEC one day. Culturally, UK is much more of a Big Ten or ACC school than an SEC school. Same for Mizzou with the Big Ten. UK fans are going to begin getting jealous seeing their inferior neighbor have football success in the weaker ACC and getting weekly basketball games against UNC, Duke, Syracuse, etc while UK is getting stomped by Big 6 schools and playing Georgia in hoops. The Big Ten or ACC is UK's only shot at having a relevant football program (if it wants one). Tradition and loyalty matters less and less these days, and I think they bolt eventually. Tradition is the only reason whatsoever for UK to remain in the SEC. And remember, the SEC has no buyout.
This post was edited on 6/20/14 at 4:18 pm
Posted on 6/20/14 at 5:06 pm to undecided
Traitors! They need to be tossed out of the league... 
Posted on 6/20/14 at 5:19 pm to undecided
CM Newton also brought us Hal Mumme. Kentucky would never leave the SEC, and it shouldn't.
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