Informal poll- Is interest in winning BTT generational?
Brian's comments about treating the BTT as an NFL preseason game rang very true with me. I don't want to see heavy starter minutes and would rather have them back home getting rested up (particularly when I watched Caris go down late in the game last night with what I swore was going to be a knee injury).
However, my lack of concern with the BTT is directly related to the fact that I did not grow up with the BTT and it only started after I left college. For me, it is just a thing that doesn't mean anything so I don't care if we don't win it nor do many of my friends with whom I went to college. The obvious exception to that comment being if we need to win it to make the NCAA tournament.
Does the rest of the board care about the BTT? Does it resonate more with younger people who grew up watching it? I am interested in perspective not a debate on the merits of someone being right since there is not a right answer.
people actually don't want to win it. It's just that there's really no teeth gnashing or garment rending if we don't.
Things in order:
1) NCAA championship
2) Final four
3) B1G regular season title
4) Sweep of MSU
5) Sweet 16
6) BTT title
But why can't we have them all?
Win the games! The rest thing is overstated. You get 4/5 days off after selection sunday until you play a middling 15/14 seed. Many teams have won both the NCAA tourny and conference tourny in recent years.
I care about the games in the BTT only because I don't like to watch Michigan lose and because I care about seeding. In the abstract, though, I don't think much about it. It's not too much of a step up from winning something like the Great Alaska Shootout IMO.
I don't find it that important, with that siad, I don't want us to not play our starters much. Just because I don't find it as important as the big ten championship, it still would be nice t win it.
It's cool if we get to watch another UMich vs. Wisconsin/Michigan State game this year, but other than that I don't really care too much.
The BTT is the last chance for bubble teams to make it in or move up a seed or two. Frequently in the past we've been one of those teams, but not this year... so I don't really care, unless we end up playing State again.
You do the math. I figure if you win one game to avoid embarrassment in the tournament, then exit quietly in a well-played second round game, you get your work in, stay sharp for the NCAA's, don't wear players out, and move on. The regular season championship is much more meaningful.
I look at is as an opportunity to play good teams in the B1G. This year we don't need it, it can only hurt us(unless we win). It is big for seeding or should be, and if it isn't then it is a baseless cash ploy.
I do think that if it causes B1G teams to have less rest going into the tourny they should eliminate a conference game to provide adequate rest or something.
Personally more basketball especially if good games=good. As long as it isn't going to be unhealthy for players or hurt the Big Ten.
I feel the same about the football championship game, I think I'd give a darn if Michigan had gone to it. Just seems to hurt the team going most years, unless they're the winner. More of a risk/hurdle than accomplishment or reward. Stupid bowls, rankings and footballs made out of non-sensical crystal detract from it's excitement.
$0.02
It is much harder to win the conference than the tournament. Its 18 games versus getting hot over 3 or 4 games.
I 'm not sure if I will feel that way going forward. I hate the schedule when so many teams only play once. I can see years were we feel robbed because we have a tougher schedule compared to another team.and they win the regular season title. There could be a lot more questions about whether it was earned. Look at how we felt about Wisconsin this year before the season.
Old. Don't care. Will watch because it's basketball.
Obv., the BTT isn't as important as the regular season. But Beilein's MO of "one game at a time" extends to the BTT. It doesn't really matter whether it is another added week to the season (eliminating the tourney) or anywhere from 3 - 4 games in a row . . . they are all games.
I do think there is a bit of preparation for the NCAA in the BTT. You are playing neither at home nor on the road, but in a neutral venue. You don't have lots of time to gameplan for your next opponent. You don't have a lot of time to rest between games. You may have to be a bit creative with your roster. All of those factors would seem to me to be helpful in preparing for the NCAA tourney.
This year, I would especially love to play and beat OSU, Wisconsin, and MSU. All of them seem to suggest that Michigan was "lucky" to win against them. I'd like to shut up Ohio and MSU, and like to prove to both ourselves and them that the loss to Wisconsin was a fluke.
There is something about the odds of winning nine straight games (3 BTT games, 6 NCAAT games) compared to only having to win 6 straight games in the tourney that makes me want Michigan to trip up at some point in the late rounds. WIth that being said, my Dad and I go every spring because there are some really fun games to watch.
Yes player fatigue is my reasoning. Plus giving JB an extra day or two to prepare is always a bonus.
In recent years it's been fun because Michigan has needed wins in the Big Ten tournament and usually got them. This year is obviously unique and I'd honestly rather sit the tourny out and prep for the real one.
I wish it didn't exist, and I'm in favor of getting rid of it entirely and adding 2 more conference games in its place (particularly with the conference expanding next season). However, while it does exist, i would like for Michigan to win it because if we don't, then one of our rivals will probably win it at our expense. I don't want to give fans of MSU, OSU, or Wisconsin anything to hang their hats on, especially a win over Michigan.
Regular season means a lot more to me, and yes, that is partially because I'm old, but also becuase it DOES mean a lot more becaue it is a lot harder to accomplish.
However, anytime you can earn a banner to put up in Crisler, it is something to care about. I care mostly about the additional banner.
- 18 years old
- The conference tournament concept is hard to explain to non-fans. You hate to use "for fun" because then it sounds pointless.
I'll say this--Michigan's goal should to become Kansas in terms of dominating the conference. KU has won 10 straight Big 12 regular season titles and 6 of the last 8 Big 12 Tournaments.
The more hardware and championships your program adds, the better. I would love to see a B1G Tournament Champions banner BACK in Crisler.
I would love to see Michigan have a run like KU's, obviously, but the Big Ten is a wholely different animal than the Big 12. Kansas can do what it does in part because the Big 12 halfway sucks most of the time. The conference is having a decent year this year, but most of the time keeping the likes of Iowa State, Texas, Baylor, and KSU at bay is only so impressive.
I am ambivalent about it; if you win it you play 3 games in 3 days (or 4 in 4!) and thats tough going into a tourney. Personally I don't like the fact the winner gets an automatic qualifier - the winner of the regular season should be the automatic qualifier (all conferences) but then I guess that would make the touraments just exhibitions. We have done poorly in them so its not sour grapes - it just seems silly that one long weekend determines almost as much as 3 months of hard work. The only way I'd really be into it was if we were a bubble team and winning it all put us in, but we'v never done that.
Playere fatigue is a myth. If your team is going to go far in the tournament, it won't matter.
I would like to see us replace the BTT banner that was taken down.
I would not like to see us lose the first game.
After that, I don't care much.