Anyone NOT rooting for Kentucky tonight????

[wsushox1]

This year has cemented how fluky and meaningless a National Championship can be. I would gladly take our accomplishments, our team, our wins, and our story this year over a UConn team that wasn't even as good as SMU, who didn't even make the tournament. It's been a big lesson for me that I'll take forward. A national championship is nice, but it doesn't mean as much as the regular season...to me, at least.

I won't comment on your debate about reg season vs. post season. BUT the tournament does usually do a good job of finding out the best team. There's no doubt that 2012 UK, 2013 L-ville were the best teams in the country that year and proved it. You could throw 2008 Kansas, 2010 Duke, and even 2009 UNC in there as well.

The only recent "fluke" ,imo. was the 2011 UCONN team. Yes they had Kemba Walker but they were probably not the best team in that tournament. I hate using the word fluke....should have said surprising instead.

[coran13]

I won't comment on your debate about reg season vs. post season. BUT the tournament does usually do a good job of finding out the best team. There's no doubt that 2012 UK, 2013 L-ville were the best teams in the country that year and proved it. You could throw 2008 Kansas, 2010 Duke, and even 2009 UNC in there as well.

The only recent "fluke" ,imo. was the 2011 UCONN team. Yes they had Kemba Walker but they were probably not the best team in that tournament. I hate using the word fluke....should have said surprising instead.

I agree with most of the teams you listed, especially the 2012 Kentucky team. I will have to add the 2014 UConn team to the list with the 2011 team though. In their own conference they were a 4th place team who only made the tournament because they had Memphis' number. Nevertheless, they made it past St. Joes and found ways to win.

I'm not trying to take away from UConn or Kentucky's runs. They played well and pulled off some great victories, but they were far from the best teams in the country. I concede that point just as I would've last year if WSU had some how won the national championship. Great runs with lots of skill and luck. It makes for great gambling, but not for always deciding the actual champion.

But this is how we crown a champion. So. Rock on, UConn.

[choida]

Hats off to UCONN...gold standard for the better part of the last 15 years...Rip Hamilton...Ben Gordon...Kemba Walker and now Shabazz Napier...great guard play is their calling card and Calhoun built and left a great program...heres to next year...GOSHOX

[ShockerFever]

I would love a national championship, and I agree that it should be the ultimate goal (like winning the lottery). However, I think it would be tough to make the case that either UConn or Kentucky were the best teams this season. They were decent teams with great players. Good for them for making the tournament and showing up these last three weeks. WSU played tough for four months.

Well, then how do you wanna decide this now? Just crown a champ based on regular season performance?

I'm sorry, but you are judged based on post-season in EVERY, SINGLE SPORT. That's the way it is.

Should our Final Four last year be discounted since we obviously were far from one of the best teams in the regular season that year?

The regular season is important, but more notably, the purpose of the regular season is to set you up for the post-season. And it is there, where you are ultimately judged. Again, that can be said for every single sport.

[ShockerFever]

Welp, with this NCAA Tournament officially coming to a close, we have heard the last of KC Shox for a solid year, that's assuming if he sticks to his word (doubt it). Kinda surprised he didn't hurl one last salvo before it ended. Unless of course he has no intention of honoring the bet he cast before himself, leaving himself a spot next to Aces1982 in douchebag welcher immortality.

[coran13]

Well, then how do you wanna decide this now? Just crown a champ based on regular season performance?

I'm sorry, but you are judged based on post-season in EVERY, SINGLE SPORT. That's the way it is.

Should our Final Four last year be discounted since we obviously were far from one of the best teams in the regular season that year?

The regular season is important, but more notably, the purpose of the regular season is to set you up for the post-season. And it is there, where you are ultimately judged. Again, that can be said for every single sport.

1. No, I don't think that they should crown a champion based off the regular season. I don't even think they should change the tournament because that would change the culture and history of college basketball so much. I was just saying that I learned this year what I prefer and respect more, that's all. What would be best? Letting in the conference champions and playing best 2 out of 3 and 3 out of 5 series', but that's never going to happen.

2. Should our Final Four run be discounted? No, not at all. We played the games put in front of us and we won. And IT WAS AWESOME. But this year, when we didn't even make the Sweet 16, was more impressive and meant more than last year when we played 3 more rounds in the tournament. And I said a few posts above that if we had won the championship last year that I'd even admit we weren't the best team. It would've been fun and memorable and great. But without playing series, like pro sports do, you're never going to know who's actually the best.

3. I agree that the post-season is viewed as more important than the regular season.

[ShockerFever]

Letting in the conference champions and playing best 2 out of 3 and 3 out of 5 series', but that's never going to happen.

You do realize you probably just erased close to half of all the previous National Champions off the list with this method, correct?

But without playing series, like pro sports do, you're never going to know who's actually the best.

I don't think that's the be-all, end-all answer either. How many wildcard teams have won the World Series? I can think of a few in the last 10 years off the top of my head. They certainly weren't the best regular season teams. Same could be said with the NBA as well.

This is the process works. We just have to accept it and move on. Eventually, we'll find out what winning National Championship feels like and I'm gonna guess it'll squash the feeling you've had at any point this year.

[coran13]

You do realize you probably just erased close to half of all the previous National Champions off the list with this method, correct?

I don't think that's the be-all, end-all answer either. How many wildcard teams have won the World Series? I can think of a few in the last 10 years off the top of my head. They certainly weren't the best regular season teams. Same could be said with the NBA as well.

This is the process works. We just have to accept it and move on. Eventually, we'll find out what winning National Championship feels like and I'm gonna guess it'll squash the feeling you've had at any point this year.

1. Yes, I do. But if you aren't even the best in your conference, are you really the best in the country? No.

2014: UConn - 4th in AAC
2013: Louisville - 1st in Big East
2012: Kentucky - 1st in SEC
2011: UConn - 9th in Big East
2010: Duke - 1st in ACC
2009: North Carolina - 1st in ACC
2008: Kansas - 1st in Big 12
2007: Florida - 1st in SEC
2006: Florida - 1st in SEC
2005: North Carolina - 1st in ACC
2004: UConn - 2nd in Big East
2003: Syracuse - 1st in Big East
2002: Maryland - 1st in ACC

2. And that would be the great thing- if a lower-value conference team could beat a "better" conference team in a series then boom, you've got your great story. But they'd have to earn it, just like they do in the World Series or NBA Finals. I am always going to maintain though if you don't win your conference, you shouldn't be able to win the national championship.

3. Yes, I know that I need to just deal with how college basketball determines its champion. I'm not upset about it. I just now know how I feel concerning the methodology. And yes, winning always feels better than losing. But this season will never be duplicated...

[Dave Stalwart]

That list is really funny. Apparently every time the national champion wasn't also 1st in their conference it was UCONN.

Figure that out. That pretty amazing to me

[Shock Top]

1. Yes, I do. But if you aren't even the best in your conference, are you really the best in the country? No.

2014: UConn - 4th in AAC
2013: Louisville - 1st in Big East
2012: Kentucky - 1st in SEC
2011: UConn - 9th in Big East
2010: Duke - 1st in ACC
2009: North Carolina - 1st in ACC
2008: Kansas - 1st in Big 12
2007: Florida - 1st in SEC
2006: Florida - 1st in SEC
2005: North Carolina - 1st in ACC
2004: UConn - 2nd in Big East
2003: Syracuse - 1st in Big East
2002: Maryland - 1st in ACC

2. And that would be the great thing- if a lower-value conference team could beat a "better" conference team in a series then boom, you've got your great story. But they'd have to earn it, just like they do in the World Series or NBA Finals. I am always going to maintain though if you don't win your conference, you shouldn't be able to win the national championship.

3. Yes, I know that I need to just deal with how college basketball determines its champion. I'm not upset about it. I just now know how I feel concerning the methodology. And yes, winning always feels better than losing. But this season will never be duplicated...

That list is really funny. Apparently every time the national champion wasn't also 1st in their conference it was UCONN.

Figure that out. That pretty amazing to me

Wow. No joke.

UCONN = luckiest program in NCAA history??

[shox1989]

I'm no coach, but I'm not sure why you don't just go ahead and start fouling when you are down 4 with 0:40 and UCONN has the ball for a full possession.

Especially since they had just got into the 1 and 1. You could foul them for 3 consecutive trips (if necessary) and they would each just be 1 and 1s. Cal did a very poor job of coaching during that last minute.

[im4wsu]

Well, then how do you wanna decide this now? Just crown a champ based on regular season performance?

I'm sorry, but you are judged based on post-season in EVERY, SINGLE SPORT. That's the way it is.

Should our Final Four last year be discounted since we obviously were far from one of the best teams in the regular season that year?

The regular season is important, but more notably, the purpose of the regular season is to set you up for the post-season. And it is there, where you are ultimately judged. Again, that can be said for every single sport.

That's a lot of money to spend for tickets to "spring training"

[shockmonster]

I was comparing the box scores for the UCONN/Kentucky game and the Shockers/UK game.

UCONN/UK shooting percentages FG% 39 3PT% 31 FT% 53

WSU/UK shooting percentages FG% 54 3PT% 44 FT% 72

Kentucky definitely played their best offensive game against the Shockers. UCONN was sagging in against them and daring them to shoot the 3.

[GarH]

I REALLY tried to root for them, but I just couldn't do it. They have more snob fans than than the Jayhawks. I've never liked Callipari. I've just never liked them.

[jazztrane]

I REALLY tried to root for them, but I just couldn't do it. They have more snob fans than than the Jayhawks. I've never liked Callipari. I've just never liked them.

You're not the only one, I thought this was funny when I saw it on ESPN:

http://espn.go.com/espn/fp/flashPollResultsState?sportIndex=sportsnation&pollId=4268223

Apparently one thing we can agree on in Kansas is our dislike for John Calipari-highest % in the nation! :)