UK wins all time all-star team poll on cbssportsline.com

[AteUp]

http://www.sportsline.com/collegebasketball/story/10913833

National Champs Bracket: Down goes Alcindor! UK (fans) overpower UCLA
July 30, 2008
By Gary Parrish

Congratulations, Kentucky fans.

You have done the impossible -- or at least the improbable -- by figuring out a way to beat a UCLA team featuring Lew Alcindor and Bill Walton, which is about as simple as figuring out a way to out-scandal Alex Rodriguez.

http://images.sportsline.com/u/photos/basketball/college/img10913831.jpg
With the Big Blue fans, Tony Delk and Kentucky can win any vote. (Getty Images)

It's a tall task. And by tall, I mean 169 inches tall -- otherwise known as the height of Alcindor and Walton stacked on top of each other, which sounds like a strategy John Wooden should've probably tried given how his UCLA Bruins were blown out in the title game of the CBSSports.com National Champions All-Stars Bracket.

(Confused? If so, click this link and catch up).http://www.sportsline.com/collegebasketball/story/10906544

Indeed, the championship was a blowout.

How much of a blowout?

Consider that Billy Packer said "It's over" early on, and he was correct this time. Kentucky got 73 percent of the vote, leaving UCLA with just 27 percent and another flameout on the national stage. It's almost like Luc Richard Mbah a Moute -- he of the three straight Final Four losses -- was involved. But he wasn't. Instead, the UCLA roster consisted of Alcindor, Walton, Ed O'Bannon, Gail Goodrich, Walt Hazzard and Sidney Wicks.

That's four former National Players of the Year and an unbeatable team, as far as I'm concerned. But Kentucky fans thought differently (or at least they voted that way) and in the process proved anything is possible when a massive fan base unites behind one cause and votes until they can't vote anymore.

Poll
Which all-star team is the best?

27% UCLA
Walt Hazzard Guard
Gail Goodrich Guard
Ed O'Bannon Forward
Bill Walton Forward
Lew Alcindor Center
Sidney Wicks Sixth Man

73% Kentucky
Ralph Beard Guard
Tony Delk Guard
Jack Givens Forward
Alex Groza Forward
Bill Spivey Center
Cliff Hagan Sixth Man

Total Votes: 15980

Seriously, I'm not sure there's an online poll Kentucky fans couldn't win. With the proper motivation, they could get Ralph Nader elected this year, and I can't even remember whether the old kook is running. But it doesn't matter. If somebody pinned a Vote for Nader post at the top of the UK message board -- somebody like UK4BEN or BigBlue1121 or UKSmitty27 -- I'm confident Nader would be our next President, which would probably shock the hell out of everybody, Barack Obama included.

Anyway, the whole thing got me thinking. If Kentucky fans are strong enough to help their Wildcats win an online poll against a UCLA team featuring Alcindor and Walton -- two men who combined to go 174-6 in their college careers -- what other online polls could they manipulate in their favor?

I came up with the following list:

(All percentages are reasonable projections)

Best Band

• The Beatles: 44 percent
• UK Basketball: 56 percent

Best Food

• Pizza: 31 percent
• UK Basketball: 69 percent

Best Movie

• The Godfather: 28 percent
• UK Basketball: 72 percent

Best Late night Talk Show Host

• David Letterman: 38 percent
• UK Basketball: 62 percent

So let the record show nothing is impossible for Kentucky when it comes to online polls. I bet Billy Gillispie wishes the NCAA would put DeAndre Liggins' eligibility up for a vote. The heralded incoming freshman would be cleared by noon Friday if that happened. As it stands, everything remains on hold. But while Kentucky fans wait for that news they can take pleasure in the fact they have given their program another national title -- this one thanks to a hands-on-(mouse) approach.

[slickhead slayer]

I read that on cats pause today, thought it was pretty funny. I agree with the authors assertion, but the facts kinda don't back it up. He is saying that UK fans controlled the voting, which is the reason why UK won by such a large margin. But in the semi-finals, when it was UK against IU, the vote was 52%-48%. Seems like UK fans would have voted heavier on that one also. I have a feeling, the dislike for UCLA might have factored into it as well.

[Ky'sFinest]

"Consider that Billy Packer said "It's over" early on, and he was correct this time."


I can't wait until he says that about his career!:D

[Art]

"Consider that Billy Packer said "It's over" early on, and he was correct this time."


I can't wait until he says that about his career!:D

Where have you been? He's done as of a 3 or 4 weeks ago.:D

[lonesomepine]

Was UL even in the voting at all? Jealousy will get you no where.;)
There are only 4 million people in Kentucky and 2 of them are Louisville fans (Ateup and Rick Pitino,Denny Crum hates them now too),California has 36.5 million people yet Ateup thinks Kentucky fans cheated those poor Californy folks.

[buckfever]

He is saying that UK fans controlled the voting, which is the reason why UK won by such a large margin. But in the semi-finals, when it was UK against IU, the vote was 52%-48%. Seems like UK fans would have voted heavier on that one also.

It was actually 58% to 42%, not 52% to 48%, and a 16% differential is generally considered a landslide.

I'd wager that 90% of the people that personally saw Spivey, Beard, Groza and Hagan play are either dead and/or have no idea what the internet is.

I'd sure those guys were great and all back in the late 40's or early 50's, but that was before the days of integration. It also seems odd to me that anybody could objectively pick any team over one that boasted both Alcindor AND Walton. Those two are viewed by many as the greatest college players that ever lived, and Alcindor is arguably the best player ever at any level.

If I was ranking those particular teams, I'd put 'em in this order. . .

1. UCLA (Clearly the best team top to bottom. None of the other teams would have a chance with Kareem and Walton in the interior).
2. UNC (Can't really pick against Jordan).
3. Duke (Could arguably be ranked higher than UNC from a purely college perspective, but hard to overcome UNC's success at the pro level)
4. IU (Only reason I picked IU over UK was b/c that undefeated '76 team with Benson, May, and Buckner was one of the greatest ever).
5. UK (The picks from the modern era - Givens and Delk - are relatively weak from an all-time perspective, and I simply can't give props to players that played during the whites only era).
6. KU (hard to like 'em without Wilt the Stilt)