Go back to 32 teams

[Old Lion]

I liked the NCAA tourney better when only the elite teams who won conferences played for the most part. Letting in 68 teams is ridiculous.

Now we have 2 of least deserving teams playing for the championship. CT got a gift when Niang got hurt and would not be playing in the championship if that did not happen. KY would not even be in the field of 32. They won a few games at the end of the year and snuck in.

The championship should be about who played best throughout the year. KY was terrible at time and now they got hot winning a few games at the end of the year mostly with last second shots and they get to play for the title.

Imagine if Tennessee and Dayton made it. Both of those teams barely made the field of 68 nevermind 32. Both made a serious run.

I am not saying you don't want to give some teams that were not perfect during the year a chance, but it has just gotten ridiculous.

 

[jonvi]

The things you complain about are the exact reasons I like College Basketball.


Personally....it seems to me UK and UConn are just better than everyone other team. As much as it appears wrong to you....they did pass the test that 66 other teams failed.

 

[RobToxin]

$$$$ will never allow the tourney to contract. Only expand.

As far as Kentucky goes, you look at who they have beaten one after another. Wichita State. Louisville. Michigan. Wisconsin.

No matter how much you may hate Kentucky or Calipari, they have earned that spot in the title game.

 

[douggie]

Five years ago I never thought John Calipari would ever win an NCAA Tournament. But he has become a great coach. Not a good coach, but a great coach. I never thought I'd say that, but it's true. I was wrong about him and I'll be the first to admit it.

 

[Clayton]

Imagine if Tennessee and Dayton made it. Both of those teams barely made the field of 68 nevermind 32. Both made a serious run.

I am not saying you don't want to give some teams that were not perfect during the year a chance, but it has just gotten ridiculous.

VCU called and wondered why you were so late with this post.

Kentucky has beaten Louisville, Wichita St, Michigan and Wisconsin. I don't know how you can argue that they haven't earned their spot. UConn is a bit flukey but they seem to fit the formula of what you want in a championship team.

 

[CatsTopPac]

Wouldn't UK and UConn both be part of the field of 32. I mean, if we're talking about all at large bids, right? Because having all conference champions would mean that a bunch of scrub mid major champs would be in, instead of the teams that actually played against major competition all year. Seems to me that 32 teams would be 4 brackets of 8 teams, and that both teams would still have been in.

Listen, I fucking hate UK and UConn. I would loved to have seen Wisky win it all, just because I love parity. But you can't take anything away from these two teams. UK beat WSU, 'Ville, Michigan, and Wisky. That's the beating the #12, #7, #5, and #2 teams in the country, in consecutive order, all on neutral courts. They didn't beat some teams that pulled upsets, and perhaps got lucky to advance. They beat 5 teams, all in the top 20 RPI. Also don't forget that UK had a #16 RPI. As far as UConn, they beat the MSU, ISU, 'Nova and UF, or the #11, #9, #6, and #1 teams in the country. Those teams are all top 18 in the RPI. And UConn was also ranked #18 going into the dance, with a #22 RPI.

So just to break this down, you think that 2 teams who combined to beat 8 of the top 12 teams, consecutively, on neutral courts, don't deserve to play for the NC??? Because again, I fucking HATE these two teams, but they sure as fuck deserve to play for the NC. Like I said, had they beat a string of undeserving teams to get there (a la Wichita State last year beating Pitt, Gonzaga, and La Salle, really only to beat OSU to get to the FF), then I would back you up. But when these two teams have laid waste to the best competition in the land, then you have to give it up for these guys. They played the best, and beat the best. Every team that they played after the first round was supposed to beat them, and yet these two teams won. Fuck that, props to them, there is nothing more that they can do than to beat the best teams in the country, game after game.

 

[Clayton]

Five years ago I never thought John Calipari would ever win an NCAA Tournament. But he has become a great coach. Not a good coach, but a great coach. I never thought I'd say that, but it's true. I was wrong about him and I'll be the first to admit it.

Calipari: "Ok, lets inbound the ball, give the ball to our fastest player, iso, and have him beat his guy off the dribble. They have to foul us or we get an easy shot with a chance at an easy putback. Now for the last shot in the game, lets stand around and do nothing until the shot clock is winding down and jack up a 3pter. We got this?"



Genius.

 

[SteelersPride]

this post is getting shredded

 

[douggie]

Calipari never hit a shot. Never dribbled a ball. Never played a second of defense. Never hit a free throw. Never blocked a shot. Never hit a game winning shot. Never stole a pass. Never committed a turnover. Never dunked a put back. But he put players in positions to win the game and tournament. You don't have to be a genius to do that. Just be a coach who knows how.

 

[Clayton]

Calipari never hit a shot. Never dribbled a ball. Never played a second of defense. Never hit a free throw. Never blocked a shot. Never hit a game winning shot. Never stole a pass. Never committed a turnover. Never dunked a put back. But he put players in positions to win the game and tournament. You don't have to be a genius to do that. Just be a coach who knows how to recruit like no one else.

Fixed. Seriously, he is expected to put the best team on the court night in, night out.

If Kentucky misses one of its 3pters against Michigan or Wisconsin, we aren't having this conversation. He is a decent coach and a ridiculously good recruiter.

 

[SteelersPride]

how is he not a great coach clayton? taking all freshman? you can play the what if game all you want, there is not what if's here, he won, period.

 

[douggie]

"If" never won a game either.

 

[MI Nightmare]

Wouldn't UK and UConn both be part of the field of 32. I mean, if we're talking about all at large bids, right? Because having all conference champions would mean that a bunch of scrub mid major champs would be in, instead of the teams that actually played against major competition all year. Seems to me that 32 teams would be 4 brackets of 8 teams, and that both teams would still have been in.

Listen, I fucking hate UK and UConn. I would loved to have seen Wisky win it all, just because I love parity. But you can't take anything away from these two teams. UK beat WSU, 'Ville, Michigan, and Wisky. That's the beating the #12, #7, #5, and #2 teams in the country, in consecutive order, all on neutral courts. They didn't beat some teams that pulled upsets, and perhaps got lucky to advance. They beat 5 teams, all in the top 20 RPI. Also don't forget that UK had a #16 RPI. As far as UConn, they beat the MSU, ISU, 'Nova and UF, or the #11, #9, #6, and #1 teams in the country. Those teams are all top 18 in the RPI. And UConn was also ranked #18 going into the dance, with a #22 RPI.

So just to break this down, you think that 2 teams who combined to beat 8 of the top 12 teams, consecutively, on neutral courts, don't deserve to play for the NC??? Because again, I fucking HATE these two teams, but they sure as fuck deserve to play for the NC. Like I said, had they beat a string of undeserving teams to get there (a la Wichita State last year beating Pitt, Gonzaga, and La Salle, really only to beat OSU to get to the FF), then I would back you up. But when these two teams have laid waste to the best competition in the land, then you have to give it up for these guys. They played the best, and beat the best. Every team that they played after the first round was supposed to beat them, and yet these two teams won. Fuck that, props to them, there is nothing more that they can do than to beat the best teams in the country, game after game.

There is no doubt that both UConn and UK earned their trips to the NCG. One could also make the argument that they should have been higher seeds. Either way, they are both balling right now....one more so on defense, the other offense.

 

[CatsTopPac]

Fixed. Seriously, he is expected to put the best team on the court night in, night out.

If Kentucky misses one of its 3pters against Michigan or Wisconsin, we aren't having this conversation. He is a decent coach and a ridiculously good recruiter.

Yeah but recruiting is part of coaching; a rather big part, actually. You can be the best in-game coach in the world, but if you didn't go out and get the guns who have the talent to produce, then you're not going to get there. Most of the teams who have won it in the last decade are all top recruiting teams.

And as far as playing the "what if" game, you can do that for essentially every team. Almost no one completely runs through the field in March. Almost every team has calls or shots that could have gone either way. But the games were played and the games are over. You can pick apart Wisky against AZ, or UConn against St. Joes. But they won, and now the conversations are valid.

 

[Runeman]

One could argue that the two teams playing tomorrow night got in the field BECAUSE 64 teams get that chance to play supports the notion that a 64 team field is the right thing to do. I'm not following the OP's logic in this one.

 

[Clayton]

how is he not a great coach clayton? taking all freshman? you can play the what if game all you want, there is not what if's here, he won, period.

I think he is an above average coaching mind and far and away the best recruiter in the game. That probably averages out to great coach in most minds but basketball is about the players more so than any other sport. I'm not trying to hate on Calipari but when someone makes a post like "I never thought Callipari would win 5 years ago" like his success is surprising...come on. Get real. You're playing raw NBA players vs teams with college players. In football, pitting raw NFL players against even the best college team would be a joke. In basketball, we praise the coach.

 

[douggie]

I think he is an above average coaching mind and far and away the best recruiter in the game. That probably averages out to great coach in most minds but basketball is about the players more so than any other sport. I'm not trying to hate on Calipari but when someone makes a post like "I never thought Callipari would win 5 years ago" like his success is surprising...come on. Get real. You're playing raw NBA players vs teams with college players. In football, pitting raw NFL players against even the best college team would be a joke. In basketball, we praise the coach.

Five years ago Calipari wasn't the greatest recruiter in college basketball. Maybe because he was at Memphis. Before he was at Memphis he wasn't the greatest recruiter at UMass. He is a great coach NOT because he is a great recruiter now. MKG sucks at Charlotte but he was great under Calipari at UK.

I watched Kentucky struggle with fouls last night trailing Wisconsin mid way in the first half when Calipari took out those awesome recruits and put in Polson and Hawkins at the guard positions. They didn't miss a beat. In fact, the game turned and Kentucky moved ahead.

And I'll be the first to tell you I didn't like Calipari. I thought he was an awful game coach, X's and O's, etc. But he has become a great coach. Not because he is the greatest recruiter. He's won everywhere he's been. Now he's going for a second title in 3 years.

 

[CatsTopPac]

And even if he doesn't win tomorrow, UK is in their 3rd FF in 4 years.

 

[TangoBlue]

I think he is an above average coaching mind and far and away the best recruiter in the game. That probably averages out to great coach in most minds but basketball is about the players more so than any other sport. I'm not trying to hate on Calipari but when someone makes a post like "I never thought Callipari would win 5 years ago" like his success is surprising...come on. Get real. You're playing raw NBA players vs teams with college players. In football, pitting raw NFL players against even the best college team would be a joke. In basketball, we praise the coach.

Actually Clayton....most of the other top tier teams in the country have "raw NBA players", have had them or are {at least}actively recruiting them.

The coaches and fans at most any mid-major school would love to have these "raw NBA players" and would more actively recruit them......if they thought there was an iota of a chance to land one for their school.

Finally if you run a Princeton,a pro style offense, or whatever..you still have to coach the team for them to win. To do that involves having at least a rudimentary knowledge of "different styles played by other coaches.

So...imo...any coach who can advance and do a good job every few years in the tourney or conference, is a way better coach than most of us could ever dream about being. Cal and Kevin are both great coaches...so are the majority of the coaches who were in this year's tourney.

 

[HawkeyesRuleURFace]

Wouldn't UK and UConn both be part of the field of 32. I mean, if we're talking about all at large bids, right? Because having all conference champions would mean that a bunch of scrub mid major champs would be in, instead of the teams that actually played against major competition all year. Seems to me that 32 teams would be 4 brackets of 8 teams, and that both teams would still have been in.

Listen, I fucking hate UK and UConn. I would loved to have seen Wisky win it all, just because I love parity. But you can't take anything away from these two teams. UK beat WSU, 'Ville, Michigan, and Wisky. That's the beating the #12, #7, #5, and #2 teams in the country, in consecutive order, all on neutral courts. They didn't beat some teams that pulled upsets, and perhaps got lucky to advance. They beat 5 teams, all in the top 20 RPI. Also don't forget that UK had a #16 RPI. As far as UConn, they beat the MSU, ISU, 'Nova and UF, or the #11, #9, #6, and #1 teams in the country. Those teams are all top 18 in the RPI. And UConn was also ranked #18 going into the dance, with a #22 RPI.

So just to break this down, you think that 2 teams who combined to beat 8 of the top 12 teams, consecutively, on neutral courts, don't deserve to play for the NC??? Because again, I fucking HATE these two teams, but they sure as fuck deserve to play for the NC. Like I said, had they beat a string of undeserving teams to get there (a la Wichita State last year beating Pitt, Gonzaga, and La Salle, really only to beat OSU to get to the FF), then I would back you up. But when these two teams have laid waste to the best competition in the land, then you have to give it up for these guys. They played the best, and beat the best. Every team that they played after the first round was supposed to beat them, and yet these two teams won. Fuck that, props to them, there is nothing more that they can do than to beat the best teams in the country, game after game.

Like Florida's cake walk to the Final Four?