I don't understand all of the whining

[raf4488]

What do we want from our program? Tournament success?

6 straight tournament appearances with seeds of 3-1-3-1-4-3
4 Sweet 16s in the past 6 years
Final Four last year
Elite 8 the year before that

Is this not enough? How do we compare with our peers over the same period? Serious question.

 

[iommi]

All great stuff, but it's an empty feeling without winning it all.

 

[Cusefan0307]

We need to win a title. Nobody will be completely happy until that happens again.

 

[OrangeCrush22]

Syracuse needs to make the Final Four more than once a decade and win another title.

The only other elite program with as little success as us is Arizona.

 

[AZOrange]

Syracuse needs to make the Final Four more than once a decade and win another title.

The only other elite program with as little success as us is Arizona.

We are basically identical programs. Is that a bad thing? As little success?

 

[jdubs30]

We are basically identical programs. Is that a bad thing? As little success?

This.

We're a very good program, but we aren't elite. It's nothing to be embarrassed about at all

 

[SWC75]

I think the desire to win another title to certify our excellence has reached very nearly the level of the desire to win that first one since so many programs we like to think we are the equal of have won titles since.

Connecticut has won their second and third titles and may be on their way to a fourth.

North Carolina has won their 4th and 5th titles

Florida has won two titles and will be favored to get a 3rd.

Kansas won their 3rd title.

Duke won their 4th title.

Kentucky won their 8th title and could get #9.

Louisville won their 3rd title.

Michigan or Wisconsin could get their 2nd titles.

Winning one title just doesn't make you a member of "the club" any more. We need it to be our turn again.

 

[NKR1978]

We are basically identical programs. Is that a bad thing? As little success?

I usually hate the inferiority showed among our fans, but we are at the lower rung of the blue bloods with Arizona. 99% of programs wish they had as little success as we do though.

 

[AZOrange]

This.

We're a very good program, but we aren't elite. It's nothing to be embarrassed about at all

Oh I think SU and Arizona are elite. USC and Clemson are not elite.

 

[iommi]

We are basically identical programs. Is that a bad thing? As little success?

I agree with you but tell that to the myriad of posters who are lauded for pointing their fingers at UConn, labelling them irrelevant and turning their noses up at them. Meanwhile, they have three banners, we have one real banner and they are in Dallas.

 

[jdubs30]

Oh I think SU and Arizona are elite. USC and Clemson are not elite.

I still think we're a notch right below elite. 1 title and 5 FF isn't enough to be in the Elite conversation in my opinion.

 

[AZOrange]

I agree with you but tell that to the myriad of posters who are lauded for pointing their fingers at UConn, labelling them irrelevant and turning their noses up at them. Meanwhile, they have three banners, we have one real banner and they are in Dallas.

I struggle with the NCAA tourney by itself being the arbiter of success. It's just too random the 1-gamers. I mean are we really lesser because of one Keith smart jumper?

 

[jdubs30]

I struggle with the NCAA tourney by itself being the arbiter of success. It's just too random the 1-gamers. I mean are we really lesser because of one Keith smart jumper?

This bothers me too. But people who throw out the "elite" title is largely based on postseason success. UConn was dead in the water in January, half the fan base gave up on the team; now 2 months later they're in the Final 4. Unfortunately for us, the postseason means a lot more than the regular season.

 

[orangehomer]

I struggle with the NCAA tourney by itself being the arbiter of success. It's just too random the 1-gamers. I mean are we really lesser because of one Keith smart jumper?

no we are lesser because of games like Dayton. we should have rolled that team and we had a road to the elite 8 paved in gold. we had 2 first round draft picks and a 2nd team AA and couldn't get through the first weekend.

 

[AZOrange]

This bothers me too. But people who throw out the "elite" title is largely based on postseason success. UConn was dead in the water in January, half the fan base gave up on the team; now 2 months later they're in the Final 4. Unfortunately for us, the postseason means a lot more than the regular season.

Uconn was dead in the water a week ago. Stupid Dayton!

 

[iommi]

I struggle with the NCAA tourney by itself being the arbiter of success. It's just too random the 1-gamers. I mean are we really lesser because of one Keith smart jumper?

Yes, we are. If rings didn't matter, people would look at players like Bill Russell differently. We can use all the excuses and what-ifs, but we have ONE National Title and that's not good enough, regardless of overall success.

 

[Briancuse]

More final fours and one more title.

 

[AZOrange]

no we are lesser because of games like Dayton. we should have rolled that team and we had a road to the elite 8 paved in gold. we had 2 first round draft picks and a 2nd team AA and couldn't get through the first weekend.

Because the dukes of the world don't stumble early?

 

[jdubs30]

Uconn was dead in the water a week ago. Stupid Dayton!

Can't take anything for granted. If Ennis' shot was half a centimeter to the right, we probably play Florida yesterday.

 

[jdubs30]

no we are lesser because of games like Dayton. we should have rolled that team and we had a road to the elite 8 paved in gold. we had 2 first round draft picks and a 2nd team AA and couldn't get through the first weekend.

No. Every team has flameouts like that; Kansas, UConn, Duke, etc. In 2012 UConn had Napier, Lamb, Boatright, Alex Ohraki and Andre Drummond and lost in round 1.

 

[Briancuse]

Because the dukes of the world don't stumble early?

They also have four titles, and have been to 15 final fours.

 

[AZOrange]

Can't take anything for granted. If Ennis' shot was half a centimeter to the right, we probably play Florida yesterday.

Peeps don't realize how good that shot nearly was (except for you). Ugh. Every team that goes far has a grinder win. We lost ours sadly

 

[jdubs30]

Peeps don't realize how good that shot nearly was (except for you). Ugh. Every team that goes far has a grinder win. We lost ours sadly

Exactly. Every team that goes to the FF has that knockdown, drag out type game; with how we looked vs. W. Michigan, if we escaped Dayton I would have been confident in us playing in Dallas.

 

[AZOrange]

They also have four titles, and have been to 15 final fours.

That wasn't his point...

 

[Briancuse]

That wasn't his point...

Well when you have that many titles and final fours early round upsets are more forgivable.