[Purple Haize]

It was quite a run by VCU. But how about Butler back int he title game for the 2nd straight season?

It the HOOSIER genes baby!!!
I did see a stat on ESPN today that NO team from Virginia has ever been to the national championship game. (UVa 2x's, George Mason and now VCU have been to the Final Four.)
I like Tom Crean but if he moved on I would L O V E to see Brad Steven at IU. Also, look at the coaches that both VCU and Butler have produced:

Butler - Thad Motta, Todd Lickliter now Brad Stevens (Barry Collier started the whole thing and is now the AD) Tony Hinkle (hint They named the field house after him)

VCU - Dana Kirk, Sonny Smith,Mack McCarthy, Jeff Capel, Anthony Grant and now "My Friends call me SHAKA" Smart.
Not too shabby!

[VoiceInWilderness]

It was quite a run by VCU. But how about Butler back int he title game for the 2nd straight season?

Ah, my brother has a BIG smile on his face ("Go Dawgs!"--that reminds me too much of Georgia, but same mascot).

Think they have a chance this time?

[Sly Fox]

At this point, anyone who doesn't believe Butler has a chance hasn't been paying attention. Frankly I have no idea what to expect this evening. Perhaps a UConn victory would be enough to convince a certain poster to drop back by after months of absence.

[blwall1416]

If UCONN wins tonight, I think Calhoun retires before next season. He may still retire, regardless of the outcome. I just think that a win makes it easier.

[ALUmnus]

I have a question about that.

I was born and raised 15 minutes from UConn, so obviously I've grown up a UConn fan. To me it's a premiere program, but even though I've been in Lynchburg for over a decade, I still can't get a pulse on what everyone outside of Connecticut feels about the program. UConn's basketball program was nothing before Calhoun, so it's tradition basically starts in 1990. That's a really short history compared to some of the other storied programs.

So when Calhoun retires, will that job be seen as an elite job? Is it one people will jump all over themselves to get? Or is it more like, okay, Calhoun's gone, they've had a nice run, back to the middle-of-the-pack scrap heap for you?

[blwall1416]

Ha...my wife grew up 10 mins. from UCONN...so take that.

But seriously, I think he's built the program into one that makes it lucrative. It will attract strong coaches. The added benefit of playing in the BE will help that. You can't hire a weak coach in that league & expect to do anything.

I'm not entirely sure of Calhoun's coaching tree, so it will be interesting to see if they try to pick one off that branch, or if they open it up.

I don't think UCONN is in the elite status of college basketball. Like you said, prior to Calhoun, there's not a lot to go on.

IMO, elite status of college b-ball looks like this:

Tier 1:
Kentucky - most NCAA wins...4 different coaches with titles
UNC - 2nd most NCAA wins...3 different coaches with titles
Kansas - 3rd most NCAA wins...3 different coaches with titles

Tier 2:
Duke - 4th in wins...against popular opinion, they played in national title games prior to Coach K...continuing to climb
Indiana - won 2 titles prior to Coach Knight winning his there
UCLA - Winning tradition, even after Wooden retired - titles under 2 coaches...although, they are sliding down

Tier 3:
UCONN
Michigan State
Georgetown
Louisville
Syracuse

[TDDance234]

While I obviously disagree about Duke not being in the top-tier, I view UConn a lot like Michigan State. Both have big question marks after their respective coaches move on. Wouldn't be a shock to see either school continue on the same level of success but wouldn't be a shock to see either one crash, either.

[SuperJon]

I think once Duke gets to a Final Four or wins a championship after K retires they'll definitely be in that first tier. I know they won one before him, but he really built Duke. KU, UNC, and UK have all won titles after the coach that built them left.

[blwall1416]

While I obviously disagree about Duke not being in the top-tier...

The ONLY reason I did that was they don't have a title under another coach. The have F4 trips without K, so that puts them above UCONN. They have a deeper history than MSU, with Cameron, Bubas, & Foster. What will solidify that is what Duke does after K retires. Another coach comes in, keeps the program right where it's at, then it's a no-brainer...absolutely top tier.

But, if they slide (ala Indiana & UCLA) after K is gone, they'll eventually be seen as one coach program. Heck, even today most people think K built Duke & that they were some irrelevant bottom-feeder until he arrived. Those top 3 I listed have 15 titles with 10 different coaches & continue to make runs for a title currently.

[prototype]

WORST NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP GAME IN MY LIFETIME!!! Not only the worst teams, but the ugliest game I have ever watched. I want the last 3 hours back... It was like watching a early season non-conference match-up. Something was wrong with those rims - having that mic on them - made it even worse - it was like Chinese water treatment for my ears - I still can't get the ringing to stop. We could end the Middle east conflict by threatening Muslims that we would play that game over and over and make them watch it once captured. How did either team get that far?

I actually would have rather watched a girls game if it was on... Going to bed and just pray I don't have a nightmare where I'm stuck in my living room and made to watch that game again.

[Th3rd]

i only watched the first half.. it was so boring that I flipped the channel... i would have rather watched VCU then this poor excuse for a National Championship

[jack_sparrow81]

I dunno. That Maryland Indiana game back in 2002 was pretty bad

[01LUGrad]

I would have preferred watching Rebecca Black's "Friday" on loop for the 3 hours than sit through that mess.

[prototype]

I dunno. That Maryland Indiana game back in 2002 was pretty bad

At least they combined to score more than 100 points...

[ALUmnus]

I thought it was a great game. Probably top 3 ever.

[blwall1416]

Best thing I heard last night:

"If Butler shot at Tupac back in 1996, Tupac would still be alive."

[LUconn]

Wow. Haters gonna hate. Uconn did to Butler for an entire game what they did to UK for the last 10 minutes of that game. nobody but Uconn fans was going to be happy with anything but a Butler W. Sorry to disappoint.

[jcmanson]

Wow. Haters gonna hate. Uconn did to Butler for an entire game what they did to UK for the last 10 minutes of that game. nobody but Uconn fans was going to be happy with anything but a Butler W. Sorry to disappoint.

Wait. Who are you?

[blwall1416]

Wow. Haters gonna hate.

I wasn't pulling for either team. I just wanted to see a good game. Instead, I watched this:

• Fewest total points in a title game since 1949.

• UConn scored 109 points in two games here. That marked the fewest total points in a Final Four for the winning team since Oklahoma A&M in 1946. The Huskies made exactly two 3-point shots in Houston -- and still won it all.

• Butler's three 2-point field goals -- three! -- were the fewest ever in an NCAA tournament game. Its 18.8 percent shooting was the worst in a title game and the worst in any NCAA tourney game since Harvard against Ohio State in 1946.

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/tournamen ... id=6294241

[RubberMallet]

Wow. Haters gonna hate. Uconn did to Butler for an entire game what they did to UK for the last 10 minutes of that game. nobody but Uconn fans was going to be happy with anything but a Butler W. Sorry to disappoint.

you can enjoy your championship but you have to admit that was pretty crappy basketball.

[ATrain]

I thought it was a great game. Probably top 3 ever.

Yeah, probably right behind the first two UConn championships

[LUconn]

so a good game = a lot of points and 3 pointers? Sure a 112-100 game is more fun to watch to someone with no vested interest. But I don't see how you're gonna whine that it was a waste of your time when I just saw a bunch of records quoted.

but whatever. I've got some championship apparel to buy.

[prototype]

Your team scored 19 points in the first half!!! The game was like watching a pick-up basketball game in LaHaye... IMO - Worst team to win National Championship since Villanova won in 1985... You know it's a bad game when Yahoo is promoting how bad Calhoun's pregame speech was the day after the game.

[ALUmnus]

Your team scored 19 points in the first half!!! The game was like watching a pick-up basketball game in LaHaye... IMO - Worst team to win National Championship since Villanova won in 1985... You know it's a bad game when Yahoo is promoting how bad Calhoun's pregame speech was the day after the game.

First of all, that Yahoo "story" was just ridiculous. Like that blogger knows anything about the coach, team, players, or program.

Second, what UConn did this year would hardly qualify them as the worst champion ever. They accomplished something no other team ever has, and earned every win.

Since when did a championship become a album review or beauty contest? IT'S A TOURNAMENT! The best team comes out on top by WINNING EVERY GAME. Seems to me they earned it. It ain't about someone's opinion. It's about winning.

[RubberMallet]

so a good game = a lot of points and 3 pointers? Sure a 112-100 game is more fun to watch to someone with no vested interest. But I don't see how you're gonna whine that it was a waste of your time when I just saw a bunch of records quoted.

but whatever. I've got some championship apparel to buy.

no most want to see good basketball not a sloppy crapfest. i, however, completely enjoyed last night. it was total fun-bad. it wasn't "well defended" it was "poorly offended" basketball. dozens upon dozens of missed open looks. and it was hilarious.

if you think uconn is the best team in the nation then you admit the uselessness of regular season play. and as the number of births grows, its relevance will continue to diminish.

none of this matters obviously as these wins will be vacated at some point in the future (this was for the brothers)