Would You Rather...

[twinight]

I'm curious what type of season people would prefer, a dominant one with an early tournament exit, or an average one with a couple of wins in the tournament.

 

[Day2]

I'm curious what type of season people would prefer, a dominant one with an early tournament exit, or an average one with a couple of wins in the tournament.

The latter.

 

[CU44SE]

If you go 28-2 you aren’t losing your first game in the tournament unless your Virginia. Number one seeds have something like a 99.2% winning percentage in first round games. So your question is irrelevant. You change it to the second game and then that becomes a question. And if it’s only a difference of one game. Give me 28-2 losing in the second round.

 

[two3zone]

If you go 28-2 you aren’t losing your first game in the tournament unless your Virginia. They have a 99% winning percentage. So your question is irrelevant. You change it to the second game and then that becomes a question. And if it’s only a difference of one game. Give me 28-2 losing in the second round.

Mark me down.

 

[dasher]

No question it is doing well in the tournament. Honestly, it's not all that close. Would you rather win a bunch of games no one cares about or would you rather win games when everyone understands that they matter?

 

[twinight]

If you go 28-2 you aren’t losing your first game in the tournament unless your Virginia. Number one seeds have something like a 99.2% winning percentage in first round games. So your question is irrelevant. You change it to the second game and then that becomes a question. And if it’s only a difference of one game. Give me 28-2 losing in the second round.

Okay, so you're a #1 seed and you beat a #16 team in the first round of the tournament (congratulations) and then you get bounced. If you think that's a significantly better option, then go with that.

 

[two3zone]

No question it is doing well in the tournament. Honestly, it's not all that close. Would you rather win a bunch of games no one cares about or would you rather win games when everyone understands that they matter?

I watch every single game and any day there is a game my day is revolved around it, those games matter to me (as well as the tournament committee, ACC/NCCA tournament seeding).

 

[two3zone]

Okay, so you're a #1 seed and you beat a #16 team in the first round of the tournament (congratulations) and then you get bounced. If you think that's a significantly better option, then go with that.

I’d rather enjoy the extra 9 wins of the regular season than 1 against the round of 32.

 

[dasher]

I watch every single game and any day there is a game my day is revolved around it, those games matter to me (as well as the tournament committee, ACC/NCCA tournament seeding).

That wasn't really the question as far as the tournament comm. the question is that once you are in the tournament, if you are a 11 or 12 and can win games vs being a 1,2,3 and lose early. I have watched games for over 50 years. the tournament runs are what I remember most.

 

[two3zone]

That wasn't really the question as far as the tournament comm. the question is that once you are in the tournament, if you are a 11 or 12 and can win games vs being a 1,2,3 and lose early. I have watched games for over 50 years. the tournament runs are what I remember most.

I get what you’re saying, but at the end of the day it’s one extra game. We shouldn’t have to choose one or the other because if you’re good you’re good, most teams who have two regular season losses make it past the sweet sixteen and I’d bet on the two loss team going into the tournament every single time.

 

[Eric15]

Okay, so you're a #1 seed and you beat a #16 team in the first round of the tournament (congratulations) and then you get bounced. If you think that's a significantly better option, then go with that.

I would rather be the 28-2 #1 seed that loses in the second round because that implies a stronger program foundation that will be more likely to be right back in the thick of things the following year.

 

[Day2]

Okay, so you're a #1 seed and you beat a #16 team in the first round of the tournament (congratulations) and then you get bounced. If you think that's a significantly better option, then go with that.

These same people would want JB’s head on a pike if he lost to an 8/9 seed in the second round.

 

[Day2]

I would rather be the 28-2 #1 seed that loses in the second round because that implies a stronger program foundation that will be more likely to be right back in the thick of things the following year.

You’re one of the few people I actually believe.

 

[MSOrange]

I would rather be the 28-2 #1 seed that loses in the second round because that implies a stronger program foundation that will be more likely to be right back in the thick of things the following year.

Well said. I agree

 

[two3zone]

These same people would want JB’s head on a pike if he lost to an 8/9 seed in the second round.

And you’d still want him if he didn’t win a game all year.

 

[twinight]

I get what you’re saying, but at the end of the day it’s one extra game.

Technically yes, but really it's an entire other week of basketball hype and excitement.

By the way, I have no ulterior motive asking the question. I'm just genuinely curious how people weight regular season success vs success in the tournament. The fact that even the people who DO highly weigh regularly season success immediately wanted to alter a hypothetical question to add an extra win in the tournament sort of gives me my answer.

 

[two3zone]

Technically yes, but really it's an entire other week of basketball hype and excitement.

By the way, I have no ulterior motive asking the question. I'm just genuinely curious how people weight regular season success vs success in the tournament. The fact that even the people who DO highly weigh regularly season success immediately wanted to alter a hypothetical question to add an extra win in the tournament sort of gives me my answer.

I get what you’re saying, but I treat the entire season like most do the tournament, and for the tournament I just go to another level. The entire season brings me a lot of joy.

 

[NineOneSeven]

On a season by season basis? The sweet 16. If we expand the data out, you are simply more likely to get to the sweet 16 when you go 28-2 during the regular season compared to 20-10, if we are looking at a cumulative # of seasons/data points. That is a fact.

 

[SBU72]

LOL, it's soooo lopsided favoring the tourny run, it aint funny! Sure not many votes but thecwat some people post you would have thought it would be the other way. (Even assuming 28-2 is not a #1 seed)

 

[Eric15]

Technically yes, but really it's an entire other week of basketball hype and excitement.

By the way, I have no ulterior motive asking the question. I'm just genuinely curious how people weight regular season success vs success in the tournament. The fact that even the people who DO highly weigh regularly season success immediately wanted to alter a hypothetical question to add an extra win in the tournament sort of gives me my answer.

I think it's important not to create a false dichotomy between the two. As an historically elite basketball program, we should expect results in both the regular season and postseason.

The postseason is important because that's what you hang banners for. But the regular season is also important because for four months teams in the Top 25 are the ones who are on Sportscenter more often, on national TV more often, etc. It builds your brand.

The Final Four in 2016 and the Sweet 16s in 2018 and 2021 were absolutely wonderful, but the waffling on the bubble each year is beneath our standards. Those things aren't mutually exclusive.

 

[PhatOrange]

High seed early exit is a bigger let down for sure and stings bad, but a crap season is just not enjoyable. The 2 wins last weekend were the only enjoyable moments of the season besides almost beating UVA.

So I’ll take more enjoyment over the long haul of a great season, when you can tune in and be excited to be able to beat anybody. I’ll take that over a short burst of 2 day excitement with basically an annual 13 loss team and bad basketball.

Now if the question is final fours, all day long. But bubble team sweet 16’s nah.

 

[4evaOrange]

Thought this thread was going to go in a different direction if you know what I mean.

 

[CuseFaninVT]

I would rather be the 28-2 #1 seed that loses in the second round because that implies a stronger program foundation that will be more likely to be right back in the thick of things the following year.

I'd also like to start hanging up some ACC championship banners. For the first time.

 

[Cuse1055]

As a concrete comparison, would you rather have 2011 season (27-8 lost in second round as a 3 seed) or 2018 season (23-14 lost in sweet 16 as 11 seed with play-in game)? You could also substitute the 2014 season for 2011 and/or this season for 2018.

 

[Eric15]

I'd also like to start hanging up some ACC championship banners. For the first time.

Oh man don't even get me started on that. SU's approach to banners has been so embarrassing for as long as I can remember. Like even on the blue curtain all those years, they would have little signs for NCAA and NIT appearances, but not Final Fours.

And our 2003 championship banner (which looks like it was printed in a Staples copy center) is a huge slap in the face of guys like Warrick, Duany, etc.