Game Thread: FINAL FOUR 2017

[Fountain City Blues]

I was thinking Boise St but they were never ranked that high, never mind #1 . Real fans knew they were a legit team as well as the ones doing the seeding, giving them a #1 seed, besides their 1 loss season

Gonzaga wasn't #1 or #2 either if we're using Poll era logic for football (kill me now with that idiocy) so in more than a few ways they'd be in the same boat as Boise even with 1 loss.

 

[sonnyblack65]

Gonzaga wasn't #1 or #2 either if we're using Poll era logic for football (kill me now with that idiocy) so in more than a few ways they'd be in the same boat as Boise even with 1 loss.

I agree about that and I think Zags have a good shot at beating NC . Right now Vegas has them as only a 2.5 dog. Clemson was a double digit dog to Bama and we know how that turned out.

 

[Fountain City Blues]

I disagree. I think they've been playing with house $ since they made it to Phoenix.

The goal for most programs is to make it to the Final 4. Even for a program like Duke/UK, except for years when they are the overwhelming prohibitive favorite going in to the tourney, making the Final 4 would be considered a success.

Getting to the Final 4 is going to do wonders for Gonzaga's program. Winning the title would be even better, but it won't diminish what they've done.

Standards are arbitrary and do are not in particular fair or logical; moving targets are the norm, not the final four. It might be helpful to the program, but to just fans in general? Meh, I doubt the reaction is all that different from Purguy's even if I hate that take myself.

If someone looks at Gonzaga's road and sees a bunch of high seeds coming out of the WCC, then "they didn't beat anyone" is going to be the narrative. It doesn't matter that making it to the title game is hard, regardless. It doesn't matter they made the FF.

 

[purguy12]

Fair enough, but I'm going to hold you to it.

Ok i was a little excited and a couple beers deep. I think UNC wins by 7-10 poins.

 

[purguy12]

They're not getting any credit at all if they lose to UNC. Sucks for them but it is what it is.

Hey good season and credit tothem they beat who was in front of them but lets be honest they havent beat anyone. The big white guy is in trouble in this game.

 

[jontaejones]

Hey good season and credit tothem they beat who was in front of them but lets be honest they havent beat anyone. The big white guy is in trouble in this game.

Ok, then. Let's put things in perspective.

Last year's UNC team, which I feel is a better team than this years, had this path to get to the title game...

-the 16th seed
-A 9 seed Providence team I was very familiar with which relied on one player
-A very inconsistent Indiana team, 5 seed
-A 6 seed Notre Dame team that lost 7 games in same conference
-A 10 seed Cuse team that was thisclose to not even making the tournament.

So, what say you?

 

[jontaejones]

Standards are arbitrary and do are not in particular fair or logical; moving targets are the norm, not the final four. It might be helpful to the program, but to just fans in general? Meh, I doubt the reaction is all that different from Purguy's even if I hate that take myself.

If someone looks at Gonzaga's road and sees a bunch of high seeds coming out of the WCC, then "they didn't beat anyone" is going to be the narrative. It doesn't matter that making it to the title game is hard, regardless. It doesn't matter they made the FF.

That certainly won't be the narrative for Gonzaga fans. If you don't think they're ecstatic about making the Final 4, no matter who they had to go through, you're nuts. Gonzaga is not University of Kentucky.

 

[Fountain City Blues]

That certainly won't be the narrative for Gonzaga fans. If you don't think they're ecstatic about making the Final 4, no matter who they had to go through, you're nuts. Gonzaga is not University of Kentucky.

To Gonzaga fans sure, I am talking about the rest of the college basketball fanbase for better or worse. That narrative won't die easily.

 

[Ickey Shuffle]

To Gonzaga fans sure, I am rest of the college basketball fanbase for better or worse. That narrative won't die easily.

As it shouldn't. They are gift wrapped at least 15 wins every season.

But I'll eat crow if they beat North Carolina.

 

[bksballer89]

Ok, then. Let's put things in perspective.

Last year's UNC team, which I feel is a better team than this years, had this path to get to the title game...

-the 16th seed
-A 9 seed Providence team I was very familiar with which relied on one player
-A very inconsistent Indiana team, 5 seed
-A 6 seed Notre Dame team that lost 7 games in same conference
-A 10 seed Cuse team that was thisclose to not even making the tournament.

So, what say you?

This narrative that Gonzaga has not beating anyone is such a joke. I'm so sick of Purguy and others talking that shit.

Comparing the Zags to the 2016 Carolina team and it is obvious the Zags had a tougher road.

 

[Fountain City Blues]

This narrative that Gonzaga has not beating anyone is such a joke. I'm so sick of Purguy and others talking that shit.

Comparing the Zags to the 2016 Carolina team and it is obvious the Zags had a tougher road.

As I told Jontae, it's unfair, it's illogical, and is a moving target, but it doesn't mean it'll go away just by reaching the FF or title. Or even I dare say win it.

 

[bksballer89]

As I told Jontae, it's unfair, it's illogical, and is a moving target, but it doesn't mean it'll go away just by reaching the FF or title. Or even I dare say win it.

It's a stupid narrative. Don't talk about Gonzaga road to the title game when your team had a easier road just last year. People like that should really shut the fuck up.

As Jontae pointed out, UNC road to the finals last year was just comical.

 

[podsox]

i still can't get over Oregon players not even attempting to box out on the 2 biggest boards those players will ever need.

 

[ericd7633]

Damn. Its unreal how much disrespect Gonzaga still gets and all because of conference affiliation? That's so weak. UNC basically played an equivalent path last year but I didn't hear anybody mention that last year. I had a feeling this would become a talking point and low and behold it has, which is ridiculous.

If you're sick of Gonzaga, just wait til next year, especially iif NWG and Collins stay. They'll be even better.

 

[bksballer89]

Damn. Its unreal how much disrespect Gonzaga still gets and all because of conference affiliation? That's so weak. UNC basically played an equivalent path last year but I didn't hear anybody mention that last year. I had a feeling this would become a talking point and low and behold it has, which is ridiculous.

If you're sick of Gonzaga, just wait til next year, especially iif NWG and Collins stay. They'll be even better.

Purguy thinks UNC road to the finals last season was incredibly difficult

 

[Wamu]

Damn. Its unreal how much disrespect Gonzaga still gets and all because of conference affiliation? That's so weak. UNC basically played an equivalent path last year but I didn't hear anybody mention that last year. I had a feeling this would become a talking point and low and behold it has, which is ridiculous.

If you're sick of Gonzaga, just wait til next year, especially iif NWG and Collins stay. They'll be even better.

Yes the disrespect they get is due to the WCC. It's been 27 since a mid major cut the nets down (UNLV-BigWest). And in that 27 year span the only other mid majors to make it to the title game was Utah (WAC) in '98 & Butler (Horizon) in '10 & '11. Why mention Carolina's path from last year? That has nothing to do w/ this years Tourney. The Tar Heels are a legit blue blood hoops program & are in their 20 Final Four (most all time). Tourney history is more on the Tar Heels side than the Zags.

 

[CatsTopPac]

Again, never said that you said they weren't all those things. You said the ceiling is the E8, you said they aren't one of the 6-8 teams that can make a FF. You said in there you'd like to be wrong. If you can say you like to be wrong, wouldn't that mean about them getting to a FF? Its pretty clear what your stance was. Saying they might get to the FF after all the shit you said about their schedule, again, doesn't hold a lot of weight.

If you can admit you were wrong(like you said you'd like to do) we can be done here.

What's crazy is that I suggested we just agree to disagree. And you agreed. And then the itch of being right about a discussion flared up and you jumped right back on. Sorry man, not sure why there's such an obsession with being right, but it's ridiculous. "I never said that they couldn't get to the FF/NC." That is a direct quote from that thread. I said there wasn't enough evidence for me to bet on it beforehand. Just because you need someone on an internet message board to say they're wrong for you to get the fuck over it and move on with your life is fucking pathetic. Seriously, think about it. You are fucking obsessed with trying to be right on an internet message board.

The craziest part is that you can't see that there is nothing to be right or wrong about. My opinion wasn't if GU will make the FF or not. My opinion is whether there was enough evidence for me to predict it going in. And that evidence going in to March hasn't changed. I can take GU's new FF and add that to my evidence for future years, but you bet on them and I didn't. That's it. If you bet on them, you won whomever you bet. BUT I DIDN'T BET AGAINST THEM.

And you try and quote me as saying that I thought GU isn't one of the 6-8 teams that I think can make the FF. But I put up the actual quote and you couldn't even read it correctly. Jesus. I said that GU is not one of the 6-8 teams right now that I would say going into March that I would say is a FF team. How are you not able to comprehend that? I didn't bet against them, I just didn't bet on them.

Again, sub GU out for Oregon. Especially losing Boucher, I wouldn't have predicted them to get all the way to the FF. I put their ceiling at the EE. Great team, players, coach, and program. I Never thought that they couldn't get to the FF, but with losing Boucher, I just couldn't bet on them to do it. So yes, there is a difference between saying a team CAN'T get to the FF, and saying that I can only see them getting to the EE. If we were talking about South Carolina, then I would have said I don't think they could have gotten to the FF. And I would have been wrong. See the fucking difference? How many times do I need to walk you through this? Are you really under the impression that I can pick a team to get to the EE, but think they CANNOT get one game further? Incapable? I said in that same thread, that we are arguing about one round. One game. That's the difference. You thought going in that they looked like a FF team. I didn't, same with Oregon. The conditions for me to not bet on Oregon haven't changed. Boucher is still hurt, and so my prediction would not have changed. And they made it, great for them. Wish I would have bet on them, glad I didn't bet against them.

You can be done here whenever you realize that being right on an internet message board isn't required for a fulfilling life. You started out agreeing to disagree. In the end, that's the best we can all hope for from this ridiculousness. I've accepted the outcome over a month ago. You did too. I suggest (for the sake of your peace of mind) that you go back to that.

 

[The Oldtimer]

Ok i was a little excited and a couple beers deep. I think UNC wins by 7-10 poins.

Fair enough. IMO it will be a close game.

 

[sonnyblack65]

Ok, then. Let's put things in perspective.

Last year's UNC team, which I feel is a better team than this years, had this path to get to the title game...

-the 16th seed
-A 9 seed Providence team I was very familiar with which relied on one player
-A very inconsistent Indiana team, 5 seed
-A 6 seed Notre Dame team that lost 7 games in same conference
-A 10 seed Cuse team that was thisclose to not even making the tournament.

So, what say you?

Prov had 2 guys Dunne and Bentil 1st and 2nd round picks

 

[bksballer89]

i still can't get over Oregon players not even attempting to box out on the 2 biggest boards those players will ever need.

By oregon players you mean Bell. Correct?