NCAA Championship discussion
Soon a team will be the next NCAA Champion....figured I'd start this thread as a run-up to the game tonight, for any thoughts on the tournament itselt... My money is on Texas Tech, just by the way they cut us and MSU down...
If Texas Tech wins tonight, it'll feel somewhat that whoever we get knocked out by, goes on to win the title... it'll be two years in row if they win...
...which got me to look back at the NCAA championship history on wiki to see how many winners knocked us out of tournament....the thesis ended up being false, but in perusing the history, something that really surprised me... that Connecticut has been the dominant team the past two decades, and by far....they won four titles in that span, while Kentucky, has only one. This surprised me. Calhoun had three titles and Ollie one. Despite retired, Calhoun should be praised more in my opinion, rather it seemed that coach K and Calipari, and even Izzo get all the talk. Was disappointing to see how we only have one title....
I encourage you to look at this wiki...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_NCAA_Division_I_men%27s_basketball_champions
Calhoun isn't quite as highly regarded because of recruiting violations. At this point, I think most people see Calipari is mostly just a great recruiter (sometimes via cheating) and isn't too good of an actual coach.
Coach K is the most overhyped IMO. He's only been to the Final Four twice since 2001, albeit winning it both of those times. But every other year they get hyped up and they most often fall out of the tournament relatively early. And this is inexcusable when you have three of the best players in the country on your team.
For tonight, I'll take Texas Tech because they are playing so confidently and have been the best team in the country during the NCAA tournament. Should be a good game regardless.
If Texas Tech wins, I'm going to be in the top 10,000 of brackets on ESPN.
But I also want to see redemption for Virginia, so I guess I'm happy either way?
Virginia basketball is unwatchable
I'd have picked Tech except for Owens' injury. He's been huge for them. They say he'll play but there's no way he'll be what he has been through the tournament.
There is no question that National Championships are really important factors in any college fandom, but to me, college basketball, more than any other sport is comprised of certain moments from which your fandom is derived, cemented, advanced, etc. more so than just "did you win it all." I think this is because, while March Madness is awesome, nobody really thinks that the winner of the tournament is always really the best team, or even the most "iconic" team.
Take this tournament, last Sunday, every sports fan in the nation was glued to the TV for MSU v. Duke, Kenny Goins three is a shot that will be remembered by State fans and casual fans watching the game. That was must-see TV. Right now most people are kind of like "oh that's right there's a game tonight."
In 2013, yes, beating Louisville would have been awesome, and JB deserves a title, but that loss does not impact how I remember that team or that season. The moment that is imprinted in my mind is Trey Burke's three pointer. Shit, one of my favorite Michigan basketball plays of all time is the multi-shot possession that culminated in Jordan Morgan's tip in to tie Kentucky in a game that we lost on the next possession.
That is not to say that NCs are unimportant, but it isn't really the first thing that comes to my mind when I am adjudging favorite/best/memorable college basketball teams or accomplishments.
Very true.
"Kenny Goins three" - I doubt it will be much remembered, because they lost the next game. Sure, it was good in the moment - a clutch shot - but it was an open 3 on a well-designed play in a Final 8 game. Now if they had gone on to win the whole thing.... (too bad!)
I dunno. It sent them to a Final Four. That's pretty huge. We have some great memories of tourney games that we won. Like Houston and Kansas. Those tournaments ended in losses - almost everyone's tournament does - but once a little time passes, it doesn't take away the moment. I would say winning it all adds to it, but eventually losing doesn't subtract from it.
Poole’s shot was much better.
I can’t remember who hit that shot for MSU already, or the score of that game. I remember mcquaid air balling shots and MSU losing 61-51 though.
Of course that is what you remember. We all hate MSU worse than a bad hangover. Not everybody feels that way.
And I know the “degree of difficulty” wasn’t that high, not saying it was some unbelievable athletic feat. Whatever, it was just an example. I could cite 1000 others, that is just fresh in my mind.
Depends on how limited Owens is, IMO. He's a game changer. If he's really limited, Virginia has a big advantage. Hunter was ACC DPOY and I'm sure he'll be guarding Culver.
I am rooting for TT, nonetheless
Calhoun really wore out his welcome and charm his last few years at UConn (not that he had much before that anyway) and he was dirty in the recruiting game.
It’s amazing to me how coaches like Roy and Mike K have basically quit actually coaching and let their offense be a free for all iso mess and hope one of their player out athletes their defender. They are getting away from what got them to what they are today which is crazy. It works every once in awhile but man id much rather as a fan have a Beilein, Bennett or (as much as it pains me to say it) an Izzo that teaches fundamentals and offense that is reliable and effective.
As for tonight, I’m just happy I can watch and not nervously hope Sparty doesn’t win all night. I think Virginia wins but a close game overall. I do love Chris Beard and if he can continue his success at TTU maybe Michigan gives him a look and willing to pay for him.
I like Chris Beard too but I'd rather have a sustained pattern of success (Beilein) over what is seemingly a flash in the pan. Hey, if this is a new pattern at TTU I'd be all for kicking the tires whenever our Lord and Savior JB (praise be His Name) decides to hang 'em up.
Definitely want to keep JB around as long as he wants to say. What I meant was after JB decides to retire and if Beard can keep up his success at TT I’d love for his next stop to be Ann Arbor.
Just like everything else, if you aint cheatin, you aint tryin hard enough! The fact that these cheaters dont have more titles is a joke and shows how great a coach like Beilein is.
SLOWEST WORK DAY EVERRRRRRRR
Today I'd be rooting for UVA even if I had no ties to the school. I always pull for teams that have paid their dues over the newcomers. Classic example: last year's Stanley Cup final I was rooting for the Caps over the Knights. Great run, Vegas, but completely unfair if they get to lift the Cup before Washington.
Plus I badly want to see this redemption story go all the way to the top.
Anyone who's only watched UVA in the tournament has not seen UVA at its scariest. I feel good about this game, even better if the offense gets on track. Texas Tech allowed all kinds of open threes against Michigan. If UVA gets those shots and knocks those down just at their season average, it won't be close. If Tariq Owens doesn't play, even less so.
GO HOOS!
Looks like we have been the bridesmaid more than any other program....
Lost in the final game, a whopping 7 times...
We're number...two?
We're number two! We're number two! We're number two!
Not only have we finished runner-up the most, but M is also undefeated in the semifinals - 8 appearances, 7 runner-ups, 1 championship and zero times not making the NC game.
Actually we lost in the semis in 1964, to Duke.
We have seven appearances in the title game ('65, '76, '89, '92, '93, '13, '18) and are 1-6.
Name a time Michigan didn’t play a 1 seed that wasn’t favored.
I know Indiana, duke, unc, Louisville and nova were all favored 1 seeds. Would of liked them to win...but tough ones to accomplish.
best chances were fab 5 against unc and against Louisville....still weren’t favored.
Coach K is annoying but he's not overhyped. Duke's been to the Final Four three times since 2001, not two, ('04, '10, '15), and yeah, won two of those. Also, you know, in 2001. And '91 and '92. Since the '01 championship they've been at least to the Sweet 16 13 times. Duke has won 78.8% of its games since he took over in 1980, to Calhoun's 72.0% at UConn. Also I'm not sure where you're coming up with the fourth UConn title: Calhoun's teams won three ('99, '04, '11), although I'll grant you that two of those titles were won over Duke.
The fourth UConn title was in 2014.
For me, this is a disappointing final. I neither love nor hate either school, so there is no one to root for or root against. We know this won’t be especially entertaining either: it should be slow paced and pretty brutal offensively. That said, Tech seems to be on a roll, and I think they will win it—somewhat shockingly, given they replaced their entire starting five from last year with a hodge podge of transfers, international players etc. and not five star recruits.
I look forward to this, the Ben-Hur of NCAA championship games.
I took Virginia to win it all in every bracket pool I entered and if they win tonight I'll win around $600
I was the only one to pick them in each pool, seems like nobody wanted to pick the team that lost to a 16 seed the year prior. Go Virginia!
I’m in the same boat in my pool. I’m trying to decide if I want to be smart and hedge it with a bet on Tech or double double down on Virginia. History says I will double down (and hate myself for it)
I look forward to a 19-17 score at halftime.
I really like watching Tech's defense. When I get time to break it down and simplify it, i would like to see if i can get my youth team to pick it up.
I've been on their bandwagon since they shut down Michigan completely. What they did to the Zags, and to a lesser extent Sparty, showed me they are for real.
Their basic concept is pretty simply: #1 VERY strongly overplay your man's strong hand and just ride them on their strong hand if they try to drive weak...here, even the best are compromised. This forcing to use the off hand is a big deal-even at this high level of play-and TT surely proves this with their D. #2 force them toward a danger zone-baseline/corner where a double-team/trap awaits. TT is not afraid to jump into a double or even a triple team anywhere on the court-certainly once the opponent picks up their dribble. Here, the pressure significantly limits finding the teammate with the good look and a weak pass out allows recovery time...plus they usually had an eraser hanging out in the paint who could challenge anyone for an easy two-which often is not something that is available for lower level play. Then there is their individual will and refusal to be beaten-some of this is innate but it is well "reinforced" with coaching :)
College basketball is just weird. Unfortunately I think Beilein ends his career without a national title, but Kevin Ollie and Tubby Smith both have one. Also Izzo is very overrated.
re: thinking highly of calhoun - nope, nope, nope.
a (convicted) cheater, obviously, but also a colossally arrogant asshole.
the ncaa is almost functionally incapable of getting recruiting violations to actually stick to a school, particularly if the school is considered an 'elite' program. that they caught uconn under calhoun speaks to the volume of violations and the extreme likelihood that he figured he was such a great coach that he was above the law. they'd never charge JIM, he's way too important!