Thinking of exact opposites here. Like broccoli … and a Big Mac.
Cornell … and Kentucky?
You say to-may-to, I say to-mah-to. You say Big Red, I say Big Blue.
Putting these two next to one another — which will happen Thursday night in the East Regional at Syracuse — stretches all boundaries of that old middle school English class assignment, compare and contrast.
But let’s do it, anyway.
Kentucky has won seven NCAA Tournament championships.
Cornell has played in seven NCAA Tournament games.
Kentucky’s arena is named after a basketball coach.
Cornell’s arena is named after an expert in industrial fuel oil marketing.
Kentucky has had 20 players taken in the first round of the NBA draft.
Cornell’s most experienced NBA product so far is Ed Peterson, who played 115 games back in 1949-50 for the Syracuse Nationals.
Kentucky averages more than 24,000 at home games, with probably 4,473 people in the concession line at halftime.
A sellout Cornell crowd is 4,473.
Kentucky is 11-3 all-time against the Ivy League. None of those victories came against Cornell.
Cornell is 2-8 all-time against the Southeastern Conference. One of those victories came against Kentucky.
Given the annual expectations of its hyperventilating fans, Kentucky always faces the prospect of being called a gang of chokers.
Cornell graduated Henry Heimlich, who came up with the Heimlich maneuver.
Kentucky’s Rupp Arena once hosted a Final Four won by Villanova.
Cornell’s Newman Arena once hosted a speech by Desmond Tutu.
Kentucky has a freshman, John Wall, who can take over a game in under three minutes.
Cornell has a freshman, Eitan Chemerinski, who can solve a Rubik’s Cube in under three minutes.
The most famous judgment concerning anyone from Kentucky was probably when the Portland Trail Blazers drafted Wildcat Sam Bowie instead of Michael Jordan.
The most famous judgment concerning anyone from Cornell was probably a few of the Supreme Court cases heard by alum Ruth Bader Ginsburg.
As of 2009, 13 former Kentucky Wildcats owned NBA championship rings,
As of 2009, three Cornell alums owned professional sports franchises.
Lexington, Ky.: Easy to find a McDonald’s All-American.
Ithaca, N.Y.: Easy to find a McDonald’s.
Kentucky leans on freshmen, and since some of them are thinking NBA, this will probably be their last chance.
Cornell leans on seniors, and since all of them are thinking graduation, this will certainly be their last chance.
Kentucky has won the SEC tournament 26 times.
Cornell and the Ivy League don’t even play a conference tournament.
No distance is too daunting for Kentucky’s fans to travel to see their Wildcats.
The Syracuse regional is only 55 miles from the Cornell campus.
The Kentucky players would just as soon people stop calling them the tournament favorite.
The Cornell players would just as soon people stop calling them Cinderella.
Kentucky’s John Calipari once coached two different schools to the Final Four, and had both appearances vacated by the NCAA.
Cornell’s Steve Donahue was once a high school junior varsity coach.
Kentucky can claim Adolph Rupp, who built a dynasty.
Cornell can claim Adolph Coors, who built a brewery.
Kentucky has played in 51 NCAA Tournaments, and won 102 games.
Cornell has played in five NCAA tournaments, and won two games.
Look in the Kentucky cheering section, and there’s actress Ashley Judd, from a family of singers.
Look on the list of Cornell alums, and there’s Peter Yarrow, from Peter, Paul and Mary.
Kentucky beating Cornell: Regional tickets are listed at $160.
Cornell beating Kentucky: Priceless.