Love this snippet from 30 for 30: Requiem For The Big East Rivalry

[Orangeyes]

 

[IthacaMatt]

My favorite thing about that show was the almost total lack of mentions of UConn. Between them getting banned from the final Big East tourney at the Garden to their omission from this ESPN program, it's almost like they didn't exist, and that works for me.

 

[HoustonCuse]

My favorite thing about that show was the almost total lack of mentions of UConn. Between them getting banned from the final Big East tourney at the Garden to their omission from this ESPN program, it's almost like they didn't exist, and that works for me.

For the important formative period of the Big East, where it set the stage for the modern college basketball landscape, they basically didn't exist. They were a total door mat for years. In many ways they didn't fit into the Big East mold. They were not a traditional basketball school, they had no relevancy even in their region of their tiny state, they had more cows on campus than students (probably still do), not in a big market, etc. Even Pitt was a better fit for the Big East back then and I want Pitt to be towed out into the ocean as bait for Godzilla.

 

[IthacaMatt]

For the important formative period of the Big East, where it set the stage for the modern college basketball landscape, they basically didn't exist. They were a total door mat for years. In many ways they didn't fit into the Big East mold. They were not a traditional basketball school, they had no relevancy even in their region of their tiny state, they had more cows on campus than students (probably still do), not in a big market, etc. Even Pitt was a better fit for the Big East back then and I want Pitt to be towed out into the ocean as bait for Godzilla.

If it were not for Calhoun's bad mouthing us on the recruiting trail when we were facing probation, they never would have signed Donyell Marshall and never would have become a power. I'll always remember that.

 

[sdhusky]

My favorite thing about that show was the almost total lack of mentions of UConn. Between them getting banned from the final Big East tourney at the Garden to their omission from this ESPN program, it's almost like they didn't exist, and that works for me.

I take solace in the fact that UCONN has won more NCs than the rest of the BE... combined.

 

[sdhusky]

If it were not for Calhoun's bad mouthing us on the recruiting trail when we were facing probation, they never would have signed Donyell Marshall and never would have become a power. I'll always remember that.

Matt - UCONN became a power the day Calhoun showed up not when Donyell was signed.

He took the worst team in the BE and won a NIT championship in year 2.

Got his first BE regular season championship, BET championship and #1 seed in year 4.

Donyell Marshall didn't come until year 5.

If Calhoun missed him, the guy he got instead probably would have been All-American too.

Maybe better. Calhoun was that good at development.

 

[wfschrec]

Matt - UCONN became a power the day Calhoun showed up not when Donyell was signed.

He took the worst team in the BE and won a NIT championship in year 2.

Got his first BE regular season championship, BET championship and #1 seed in year 4.

Donyell Marshall didn't come until year 5.

If Calhoun missed him, the guy he got instead probably would have been All-American too.

Maybe better. Calhoun was that good at development.

Don't you have a RB you need to go post bond for so you can stay competitive in whatever disaster you were left behind in? You do realize Calhoun only had 8 AP All-Americans right? Its not like they pumped them out left and right ... but hey its a given that Marshall's replacement would have been since UConn churned them out all the time right?

And you do realize basketball existed before 1989 right? I am beginning to think your fan base forgets about these things ... oh yeah and D1 football has been around for a while too in spite of what they may think in Storrs, it didn't start when Edsall showed up. UConn has 2 more championships which is wonderful SU has more Final Fours more All Americans more 20 win seasons more overall victories more tourney births more ... oh hell I give up you guys are too thick to get the point anyway.

 

[wfschrec]

I take solace in the fact that UCONN has won more NCs than the rest of the BE... combined.

Oh hey and a little help with math skippy:

NCs for BE ... SU, GTown, Nova and LVille

That makes 4 ... missing a couple to beat that number ... might want to get a refund on that UConn education.

 

[sdhusky]

Oh hey and a little help with math skippy:

NCs for BE ... SU, GTown, Nova and LVille

That makes 4 ... missing a couple to beat that number ... might want to get a refund on that UConn education.

Forgot about Villanova.

Missing a couple? How many do you think UCONN has?

 

[sdhusky]

You do realize Calhoun only had 8 AP All-Americans right? Its not like they pumped them out left and right ... but hey its a given that Marshall's replacement would have been since UConn churned them out all the time right?

Ray Allen was a backup recruit.

Emeka was a backup to a backup to a backup

Ben Gordon was a back up

Shabazz was a back up to a back up to back up to a back up

Reggie Lewis didn't have many choices.

Cliff Robinson was from upstate NY and didn't get a sniff from SU and was floundering when Calhoun showed up.

Kevin Ollie was a back up.

Etc. etc. etc.

Guys who played for Calhoun played way beyond their recruiting rankings.

.

UConn has 2 more championships which is wonderful SU has more Final Fours more All Americans more 20 win seasons more overall victories more tourney births more ... oh hell I give up you guys are too thick to get the point anyway.

And SU has a head to head advantage of about 30 games vs. UCONN. Calhoun and Jim B are exactly .500 against each other.

But since the BE started, UCONN has more BET championships, more elite 8, more sweet 16, more FF and more NC.

You can make the case reasonably either program is 1a or 1b if you don't count NCs. But 4>1

 

[wfschrec]

Forgot about Villanova.

Missing a couple? How many do you think UCONN has?

Yes Nova ...

 

[wfschrec]

Ray Allen was a backup recruit.

Emeka was a backup to a backup to a backup

Ben Gordon was a back up

Shabazz was a back up to a back up to back up to a back up

Reggie Lewis didn't have many choices.

Cliff Robinson was from upstate NY and didn't get a sniff from SU and was floundering when Calhoun showed up.

Kevin Ollie was a back up.

Etc. etc. etc.

Guys who played for Calhoun played way beyond their recruiting rankings.

.

And SU has a head to head advantage of about 30 games vs. UCONN. Calhoun and Jim B are exactly .500 against each other.

But since the BE started, UCONN has more BET championships, more elite 8, more sweet 16, more FF and more NC.

You can make the case reasonably either program is 1a or 1b if you don't count NCs. But 4>1

UConn only has 3 titles ... not sure where the 4 comes from.

 

[wfschrec]

Ray Allen was a backup recruit.

Emeka was a backup to a backup to a backup

Ben Gordon was a back up

Shabazz was a back up to a back up to back up to a back up

Reggie Lewis didn't have many choices.

Cliff Robinson was from upstate NY and didn't get a sniff from SU and was floundering when Calhoun showed up.

Kevin Ollie was a back up.

Etc. etc. etc.

Guys who played for Calhoun played way beyond their recruiting rankings.

.

And SU has a head to head advantage of about 30 games vs. UCONN. Calhoun and Jim B are exactly .500 against each other.

But since the BE started, UCONN has more BET championships, more elite 8, more sweet 16, more FF and more NC.

You can make the case reasonably either program is 1a or 1b if you don't count NCs. But 4>1

BE started in 79-80 so they are equal in FF appearances during the same time period ... and missed the NCAA tourney 9 times under Calhoun alone ... only missed 7 times under Boehiem which is a much longer time period ... as for the level of recruit I could care less you make it sound like they pump out All-Americans which is completely inaccurate ... 8 in 30+ years of BE history ... so replacing Marshall with another AA is far from a given.

Here we go:

Syracuse
NCAA Tournament: 37 Years (61-37), 5 Final Fours, 1 Championship
NCAA Champion: 2003

Ranked in AP Poll: 28 Times (Preseason), 29 Times (Final), 538 Weeks (Total)

UConn
NCAA Tournament: 31 Years (58-29), 4 Final Fours, 3 Championships
NCAA Champion: 1999, 2004 and 2011

Ranked in AP Poll: 18 Times (Preseason), 15 Times (Final), 334 Weeks (Total)

Number of season with less than 20 wins ..
Boehiem 2
Calhoun (UConn only) 6

I mean, I can do this all day.

 

[two3zone]

UConn only has 3 titles ... not sure where the 4 comes from.

99, 04, 11 & 14. They unfortunate have 4.

 

[wfschrec]

99, 04, 11 & 14. They unfortunate have 4.

Ah the 14 hadn't been added yet ...

 

[wfschrec]

99, 04, 11 & 14. They unfortunate have 4.

I cared so little for what was left of that conference I have dismissed them from my memory LOL

 

[two3zone]

BE started in 79-80 so they are equal in FF appearances during the same time period ... and missed the NCAA tourney 9 times under Calhoun alone ... only missed 7 times under Boehiem which is a much longer time period ... as for the level of recruit I could care less you make it sound like they pump out All-Americans which is completely inaccurate ... 8 in 30+ years of BE history ... so replacing Marshall with another AA is far from a given. Here we go: Syracuse NCAA Tournament: 37 Years (61-37), 5 Final Fours, 1 Championship NCAA Champion: 2003 Ranked in AP Poll: 28 Times (Preseason), 29 Times (Final), 538 Weeks (Total) UConn NCAA Tournament: 31 Years (58-29), 4 Final Fours, 3 Championships NCAA Champion: 1999, 2004 and 2011 Ranked in AP Poll: 18 Times (Preseason), 15 Times (Final), 334 Weeks (Total) Number of season with less than 20 wins .. Boehiem 2 Calhoun (UConn only) 6 I mean, I can do this all day.

Fact is they have 4 titles, we have one. I'd rather be in the tournament every other year and win a title every 10 years than be in the tourney and have one ever 50 years. I don't know what you're trying to prove when it comes to resumes because the only number that matters is we're down 4 to 1. I'd rather be 0-100 against Uconn heads up and have more titles than them.

 

[sdhusky]

I cared so little for what was left of that conference I have dismissed them from my memory LOL

Even 1 championship is a big deal. Make sure you count all 4

 

[wfschrec]

Fact is they have 4 titles, we have one. I'd rather be in the tournament every other year and win a title every 10 years than be in the tourney and have one ever 50 years. I don't know what you're trying to prove when it comes to resumes because the only number that matters is we're down 4 to 1. I'd rather be 0-100 against Uconn heads up and have more titles than them.

Would I rather have more titles of course .. but considering SU is a small private university it is amazing the level of consistency they have achieved. And being .500 against each other is a testament to how competitive they have been against each other ... the NCAA tourney is great to win and it takes a lot of skill, luck and certain things to fall your way ... heck even a player like Walker or a guy like Melo just going off can win you a title ... while titles are awesome its the program's consistency I can really appreciate. In a single elimination tourney things like matchups or in our case injuries can be a complete game changer ... I think that is less an indicator of program strength and consistency then in some ways just being fortunate ... hell I feel that the team that won the 03 title wasn't the best team SU has ever had much like I think the best team UConn ever had failed to win a title ... the tourney is a craps shoot.

 

[wfschrec]

Even 1 championship is a big deal. Make sure you count all 4

Not saying it isn't ... lets face it the best team doesn't always win it ... that happens quite a bit.

 

[NashvilleOrange]

I think they should have at least mentioned UConn and the 2011 season. That year really represented the depth of the league (11 teams making the tourney) and the 9th place team in the conference winning the title. That said, the film was about the birth of a basketball power conference and the later years were more of a struggle for survival than an emerging power.

 

[sdhusky]

I think they should have at least mentioned UConn and the 2011 season. That year really represented the depth of the league (11 teams making the tourney) and the 9th place team in the conference winning the title. That said, the film was about the birth of a basketball power conference and the later years were more of a struggle for survival than an emerging power.

I really loved the 30 for 30. I didn't have a problem with it other than the name. If they called it "The Birth of the BE" no UCONN fan could complain about the lack of coverage.

I was a huge BE fan back then and even rooted for Georgetown OOC.

The early conference with St John, Georgetown, SU and Villanova all playing at a national level was thrilling.

 

[HOFCeluck]

the tourney is a craps shoot.

The battle cry of fans of teams that chronicly underachieve in March.

Going back 25 years the national champ has been a one or two seed 20 times. If you include three seeds it becomes 23. The only time it hasn't been a top four seed in the last quarter century is this year.

So yeah if you take it on a per year basis it is a crap shoot I suppose. If you just looked at this year and nothing else you'd think Coach K was a joke and Scott Drew is a genius. But if you look at enough data points over enough years the same programs and the same coaches make deep runs.

 

[NashvilleOrange]

I really loved the 30 for 30. I didn't have a problem with it other than the name. If they called it "The Birth of the BE" no UCONN fan could complain about the lack of coverage.

I was a huge BE fan back then and even rooted for Georgetown OOC.

The early conference with St John, Georgetown, SU and Villanova all playing at a national level was thrilling.

To be fair, it wasn't just UConn that they missed. Louisville won the title the last year that the conference existed.

 

[HOFCeluck]

I really loved the 30 for 30. I didn't have a problem with it other than the name. If they called it "The Birth of the BE" no UCONN fan could complain about the lack of coverage.

I was a huge BE fan back then and even rooted for Georgetown OOC.

The early conference with St John, Georgetown, SU and Villanova all playing at a national level was thrilling.

You don't have to contribute to every UCONN post on this board. I think a lot of people would appreciate it if you didn't.