What about UCLA, Jim?

[cuseguy]

In an interview just before his 70th birthday last May, Calhoun told The Courant:
"I want people to say, 'the five best programs in the history of basketball are North Carolina, Duke, Indiana, Kentucky and - they have a tough time saying it sometimes – Connecticut. We are one of those teams. I want that legacy very badly for UConn. The passion of the people here , there is always a very thin line between love and hate, depending on the day, the recruit kid who didn't play well as well as they thought. But the worse thing to have, as when I came here, was apathy."

 

[jdubs30]

The man did an incredible job with what he had; turned that program from basically nothing into an elite. Whoever doesn't put UConn in their top 5 programs since 1999 is clueless.

I've attacked them many times on here; they've been inconsistent, they've had several NCAA violations, they've had criminals; but 3 National Titles in the past 13 years is hard to argue with.

That being said, I think they are heading for some tough times.

 

[cuseguy]

The man did an incredible job with what he had; turned that program from basically nothing into an elite. Whoever doesn't put UConn in their top 5 programs since 1999 is clueless.

I've attacked them many times on here; they've been inconsistent, they've had several NCAA violations, they've had criminals; but 3 National Titles in the past 13 years is hard to argue with.

That being said, I think they are heading for some tough times.

I have the utmost respect for Calhoun and what he did at UConn. But he said UConn is one of the top five programs in the HISTORY of basketball.

 

[orange79]

Agreed - UCLA should be in there. And UConn should not. In the last 20-25 years, yes. In the history of college basketball? Sorry.

 

[jdubs30]

I have the utmost respect for Calhoun and what he did at UConn. But he said UConn is one of the top five programs in the HISTORY of basketball.

Totally agree. They aren't a blue blood.

 

[moqui]

in history? of course not.

in the modern (64 team NCAA tournament) era? Absolutely. Indeed, either 1 or 2 in that era.

 

[MyMeloMyMan]

Not before Syracuse there Jimbo...

 

[ORRange]

in history? of course not.

in the modern (64 team NCAA tournament) era? Absolutely. Indeed, either 1 or 2 in that era.

1 or 2 ?????????????????????? really. Can't be serious. Do you just throw this BS out there sometimes for a response?

 

[pfister1]

1 or 2 ?????????????????????? really. Can't be serious. Do you just throw this BS out there sometimes for a response?

The field expanded to 64 teams in 1985. In that time UConn has won 3 titles and been to 4 final fours, 9 elite eights, 13 sweet sixteens, won 7 BE tourney championships and ten regular season BE championships.

Duke has 4 titles, Kentucky and UNC each have 3. You could make the argument without having to strain credibility too far.

 

[ORRange]

The field expanded to 64 teams in 1985. In that time UConn has won 3 titles and been to 4 final fours, 9 elite eights, 13 sweet sixteens, won 7 BE tourney championships and ten regular season BE championships.

Duke has 4 titles, Kentucky and UNC each have 3. You could make the argument without having to strain credibility too far.

No one in their right mind outside of Hartford would ever claim that Duke and Carolina weren't the most important players in the modern era. Do you live in Hartford ? Otherwise , you must related to Moqui. You guys are straining. You guys need to take the plastic inserts out of your dress shirts and wipe the crud off your coke bottle glasses and take a realistic look at things.LOL.

 

[moqui]

The field expanded to 64 teams in 1985. In that time UConn has won 3 titles and been to 4 final fours, 9 elite eights, 13 sweet sixteens, won 7 BE tourney championships and ten regular season BE championships.

and most of that was accomplished in the last 15 years, where their 3 titles and 4 final fours have made them #1 program in the nation, IMO. So, for half the modern era they are #1 . . . which to me makes a very plausible argument for top 2 in the modern era.