Comparing cuse and uconn since 1987

[gilardino]

sweet 16's both with 13

elite 8's uconn with a 10-6 lead

final 4's both with 4, could be uconn with 5 tomorrow

titles 3-1,

so as uconn has had more post season success, it is not by a landslide

I will always love cuse, and would not trade it for anything

 

[CusefanATL]

sweet 16's both with 13

elite 8's uconn with a 10-6 lead

final 4's both with 4, could be uconn with 5 tomorrow

titles 3-1,

so as uconn has had more post season success, it is not by a landslide

I will always love cuse, and would not trade it for anything

the big difference is that they have now had 2 runs where they werent a good team but got hot at the right time.

The kemba walker team was the worst champ team probably in the modern era - but kemba got hot, shabazz was servicable, and jeremy lamb started to play well at the end.

this year is very similar. shabazz got hot, boatright is servicable, and deandre daniels is starting to play well at the end.

we havent had a player like that (kemba/shabazz) that carried us in a long time. Melo is really the only example. But even that is weird to say because kemba/shabazz for as awesome as they are in college - arent really elite pro prospects like melo was.

we've also never had a run like that. I can't even count last year as much as a surprise as '11 uconn or '14 uconn.

 

[gilardino]

Well said. I also feel uconn makes their 5th final 4 tomorrow and beats MSU.

I will never root for them, as so many posters did in 2004 cause it was for the big east. give me a break.

 

[gilardino]

It is hard to argue their post season success. UCONN is ahead of many other programs.

 

[UnderHisOwnPower]

It is hard to argue their post season success. UCONN is ahead of many other programs.

you 2 should get a room at the Husky Hilton.

 

[Louie and Bouie]

the big difference is that they have now had 2 runs where they werent a good team but got hot at the right time.

The kemba walker team was the worst champ team probably in the modern era - but kemba got hot, shabazz was servicable, and jeremy lamb started to play well at the end.

this year is very similar. shabazz got hot, boatright is servicable, and deandre daniels is starting to play well at the end.

we havent had a player like that (kemba/shabazz) that carried us in a long time. Melo is really the only example. But even that is weird to say because kemba/shabazz for as awesome as they are in college - arent really elite pro prospects like melo was.

we've also never had a run like that. I can't even count last year as much as a surprise as '11 uconn or '14 uconn.

John Wallace says hello.

 

[jdubs30]

the big difference is that they have now had 2 runs where they werent a good team but got hot at the right time.

The kemba walker team was the worst champ team probably in the modern era - but kemba got hot, shabazz was servicable, and jeremy lamb started to play well at the end.

this year is very similar. shabazz got hot, boatright is servicable, and deandre daniels is starting to play well at the end.

we havent had a player like that (kemba/shabazz) that carried us in a long time. Melo is really the only example. But even that is weird to say because kemba/shabazz for as awesome as they are in college - arent really elite pro prospects like melo was.

we've also never had a run like that. I can't even count last year as much as a surprise as '11 uconn or '14 uconn.

Last year was pretty surprising for us I'd say, but maybe not like UConn this year.

As far as 2011, I believe UConn was a 3 or 4 seed right? That team went 25-0 or so out of conference and 9-9 in the Big East. I wouldn't call them a "good" team, but for some reason they dominated OOC that whole year, and obviously Kemba.

Sometimes it's just matchups man. 2010 and 2012 we probalby go to the Final Four if we were at full strength; 2011 we kinda got screwed on that over and back call (but we probably lose to UNC the next round); 2009 we ran into that absolute buzzsaw in Blake Griffin and OU, that was after being James Harden in the round of 32.

Coincidentally, our easiest road in the tournament in a LONG time was this year, with arguably our worst team in the last 5 years. The '13, '12, '11, '10, '09 all make it to at least the Elite 8 with this road; funny how things work out sometimes.

I get that titles mean everything, and I get how exciting March Madness is, but how many times does the best team win? In the NBA, NHL, MLB, you have to win multiple times against the same time to advance. In college basketball all it takes to win is for you to play decent and the other team to shoot horribly. Florida could go 2/15 from 3 tonight and Dayton could win 60-55 and go to the Final Four; it doesn't mean that Dayton is a better team, it just means Florida was bad for one night and Dayton happened to catch them. I've always said (and got killed) that it's a bad way to decide a champion. It makes November-February almost completely irrelevant.

 

[doc05]

3 championships in that span is impressive and puts them up there with any of the traditional blue bloods during that time. Their post season success is undeniable - and that is what matters at the end of the day. A FF run this year (in what was supposed to be a down year) would do wonders for that program now, bad conference and all. The tourney may ensure that the "best" team doesn't always win - but that's the name of the game and what matters at the end of the day. UConn has sealed the deal historically at an impressive rate, with Calhoun getting his team playing their best basketball when it matters most (and this year Ollie).

 

[jdubs30]

3 championships in that span is impressive and puts them up there with any of the traditional blue bloods during that time. Their post season success is undeniable - and that is what matters at the end of the day. A FF run this year (in what was supposed to be a down year) would do wonders for that program now, bad conference and all. The tourney may ensure that the "best" team doesn't always win - but that's the name of the game and what matters at the end of the day. UConn has sealed the deal historically at an impressive rate, with Calhoun getting his team playing their best basketball when it matters most (and this year Ollie).

There is really no arguing with their success. I think the problem is a lot of their fans give us 0 credit for anything we've accomplished, which makes our fans pissed, which then makes some of us downplay what they've done.

But honestly at this point, we shouldn't care about them. We're in a conference with Duke, UNC, UVA, Maryland, Louisville; no reason to talk about UConn unless they come to the ACC. The term "mid major" isn't really a shot at them, it's what htey are, they aren't in a power 5 conference. Just because Gonzaga isn't in a power conference doesn't mean they are a worse program than Va Tech just because the Hokies are in a powr 5 and Gonzaga isn't.

 

[HOFCeluck]

I get that titles mean everything, and I get how exciting March Madness is, but how many times does the best team win?

More than you'd think. I'd say the best team won in 2000, 2001, 2002, 2004, 2005, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2012, and 2013

 

[jdubs30]

More than you'd think. I'd say the best team won in 2000, 2001, 2002, 2004, 2005, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2012, and 2013

I noticed you left 2003 out; rough bro!!

 

[HOFCeluck]

If Uconn won it all I'd be even more pissed if I was a Kansas fan.

Legit blue blood program since it's inception, more tradition than anyone, and you have less titles than a school that's been playing real basketball since 1990.

 

[Jasoncuse]

titles 3-1,

so as uconn has had more post season success, it is not by a landslide

That's kind of a landslide right there...

UConn measures up against anyone in terms of postseason success (n)(n)(n)

 

[HOFCeluck]

I noticed you left 2003 out; rough bro!!

I don't think we were, and that team is considered one of the weaker national champs, but I really couldn't care less.

 

[CuseCPT]

There is really no arguing with their success. I think the problem is a lot of their fans give us 0 credit for anything we've accomplished, which makes our fans pissed, which then makes some of us downplay what they've done.

I dated a girl in law school that was from Connecticut and they lived close to Storrs. When I met her mother I made a good natured comment about Syracuse and UConn being rivals, and with a straight face she said "Well Syracuse hasn't been much of a rival lately". Thankfully we broke up not long after. .

 

[DoctorBombay]

We spent the better part of this season laughing at UConn, yet here they are making a run in April- while we are at home pondering the what-ifs.
At some point you have to start considering the SYSTEMS that certain programs live by, versus that utilized by JB. The facts speak for themselves- Calhoun, Pitino, and now Ollie, all employ a certain philosophy. Jb's philosophy has garnered lots of regular season success, but tends to plateau, more times than not, in the postseason.
Again, its usually necessary to preface everything with a "this is not a shot at JB, he's a great coach..blahblahblah"- but the results, especially in March- could be alot better. JMHO.

 

[HOFCeluck]

We spent the better part of this season laughing at UConn, yet here they are making a run in April- while we are at home pondering the what-ifs.
At some point you have to start considering the SYSTEMS that certain programs live by, versus that utilized by JB. The facts speak for themselves- Calhoun, Pitino, and now Ollie, all employ a certain philosophy. Jb's philosophy has garnered lots of regular season success, but tends to plateau, more times than not, in the postseason.
Again, its usually necessary to preface everything with a "this is not a shot at JB, he's a great coach..blahblahblah"- but the reslts, especially in March- could be alot better. JMHO.

As far as I'm concerned the jury's still out on Kevin Ollie. Having a player the caliber of Napier tends to make coaches look really good.

My gut says he's the real deal, though.

 

[CusefanATL]

John Wallace says hello.

hey John. Great point.

 

[CusefanATL]

Last year was pretty surprising for us I'd say, but maybe not like UConn this year.

As far as 2011, I believe UConn was a 3 or 4 seed right? That team went 25-0 or so out of conference and 9-9 in the Big East. I wouldn't call them a "good" team, but for some reason they dominated OOC that whole year, and obviously Kemba.

Sometimes it's just matchups man. 2010 and 2012 we probalby go to the Final Four if we were at full strength; 2011 we kinda got screwed on that over and back call (but we probably lose to UNC the next round); 2009 we ran into that absolute buzzsaw in Blake Griffin and OU, that was after being James Harden in the round of 32.

Coincidentally, our easiest road in the tournament in a LONG time was this year, with arguably our worst team in the last 5 years. The '13, '12, '11, '10, '09 all make it to at least the Elite 8 with this road; funny how things work out sometimes.

I get that titles mean everything, and I get how exciting March Madness is, but how many times does the best team win? In the NBA, NHL, MLB, you have to win multiple times against the same time to advance. In college basketball all it takes to win is for you to play decent and the other team to shoot horribly. Florida could go 2/15 from 3 tonight and Dayton could win 60-55 and go to the Final Four; it doesn't mean that Dayton is a better team, it just means Florida was bad for one night and Dayton happened to catch them. I've always said (and got killed) that it's a bad way to decide a champion. It makes November-February almost completely irrelevant.

uconn was a 3 seed that year - but they were a loss from depaul from being out of the tournament.