Maryland Board

[BigErnMcCracken]

Maryland fans get some measure of goodwill because they're so mean to Duke but they are unquestionably trash. Among the worst fanbases.

And that is pretty sweet logic with the Georgetown reference. Did we play Georgetown?

 

[gsmooth]

I think the two hardest losses I can remember as a young UConn basketball fan are the 1995 and 2002 Elite 8 losses. I was so upset when we lost those games because I really thought we were going to the Final Four. Saturday night we get a shot at revenge.

George Mason trumps both of those to me. In 1995 and 2002, UConn played well and lost to better teams, IMO. The George Mason loss bothers me a ton, but much less after UConn making the FF in 2009, 2011, and 2014.

 

[bendm]

They hated the ACC because they felt it catered to the NC schools...which, of course, it did.

hilarious if maryland thought the big10 would cater less to midwest schools than the acc did to north carolina schools. theyre even more of a forgotten step child now than before, all the way down there with rutgers.

 

[BigErnMcCracken]

George Mason trumps both of those to me. In 1995 and 2002, UConn played well and lost to better teams, IMO. The George Mason loss bothers me a ton, but much less after UConn making the FF in 2009, 2011, and 2014.

I think I'm an outlier on this board but the George Mason loss bothers me a lot less than Mississippi State or Florida or the Maryland and Texas regional final losses. That '06 team was just fatally flawed - every game that tournament was a struggle. And everyone forgets that Mason had already beaten Michigan State and North Carolina.

 

[RoderickSpode]

I think I'm an outlier on this board but the George Mason loss bothers me a lot less than Mississippi State or Florida or the Maryland and Texas regional final losses. That '06 team was just fatally flawed - every game that tournament was a struggle. And everyone forgets that Mason had already beaten Michigan State and North Carolina.

At the time it hurt but I agree. Florida may have been a tough matchup the next round, though I think ‘06 UConn was a team that tended to play to the level of its competition. Could beat or lose to anyone.

 

[gsmooth]

I think I'm an outlier on this board but the George Mason loss bothers me a lot less than Mississippi State or Florida or the Maryland and Texas regional final losses. That '06 team was just fatally flawed - every game that tournament was a struggle. And everyone forgets that Mason had already beaten Michigan State and North Carolina.

Yeah, I know what you mean. I never got too hyped with that 2006 team like most Huskie fans-they were fatally flawed like you said. More importantly, Calhoun later said, he never got a comfort level with that team like he did with 99, 04, 09, and 11. I always think about the what ifs too. What if Andrew Bynum decided to play one year? UConn would’ve been better, but Hilton Armstrong would’ve lost out and not been drafted in the NBA. What if AJ Price didn’t get suspended for the year? I think he would’ve been the difference maker.

I remember during that Albany game, I actually thought they were going to lose. That team peaked when they beat Villanova in Gampel.

 

[Tex-Lager93]

Frustrated by the ‘06 tourney the most. That roster had two starting fives on it - which could have been part of the problem. It felt like several of the players, who should have been the leaders, had one foot out the door to the NBA...rather than focusing on the present.

 

[Ts5034]

I think I'm an outlier on this board but the George Mason loss bothers me a lot less than Mississippi State or Florida or the Maryland and Texas regional final losses. That '06 team was just fatally flawed - every game that tournament was a struggle. And everyone forgets that Mason had already beaten Michigan State and North Carolina.

George Mason trumps both of those to me. In 1995 and 2002, UConn played well and lost to better teams, IMO. The George Mason loss bothers me a ton, but much less after UConn making the FF in 2009, 2011, and 2014.

The George Mason loss also bothered me less as time went on. Reaching 3 Final Four’s and winning 2 National Championships in the 8 years that followed that loss definitely helped. Something else that took away a little of the embarrassment with the the George Mason loss is the fact that other blue blood programs also suffered some bad upsets relatively soon after, so in time that loss was not uncommon. Duke lost to both Lehigh and Mercer. Kansas lost to Northern Iowa. Michigan St lost to Middle Tennessee, and the list goes on.

 

[alexd]

Yeah, I know what you mean. I never got too hyped with that 2006 team like most Huskie fans-they were fatally flawed like you said. More importantly, Calhoun later said, he never got a comfort level with that team like he did with 99, 04, 09, and 11. I always think about the what ifs too. What if Andrew Bynum decided to play one year? UConn would’ve been better, but Hilton Armstrong would’ve lost out and not been drafted in the NBA. What if AJ Price didn’t get suspended for the year? I think he would’ve been the difference maker.

I remember during that Albany game, I actually thought they were going to lose. That team peaked when they beat Villanova in Gampel.

I watched the Albany game at Slider's in Plainville with a bunch of work friends. One co-worker was just anti-UConn for some reason. She was having a lot of fun as Albany's lead grew to double digits in the 2nd half. I left the bar at that point and refused to turn the game on in the car and cranked a CD instead. I got home to find out we were up five and pulling away. But yes, that '06 team, with all it's individual talent, never put it all together in the tourney.