2011 or 2014
- Thread starter Scoe
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2011 was even less probable, before the BE tourney, that team was at best on the bubble for ncaa's. But for the program, definitely 2014. 2 years ago, this program was in shambles, an underachieving team lost early in the tournament, in apr hell with a ban on the horizon, players leaving, HOF coach in bad health and retiring.
2 years later this run puts us on top of the sport. Amazing.
2 years later this run puts us on top of the sport. Amazing.
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This run was more surprising than 2011 if we look when the tournament started. In 11, we had won the BE in incredible fashion, thus having momentum going into the national tournament. We beat 4 good teams in 5 days (sorry DePaul). The BE competition was arguably harder than the teams we played in the NCAA tournament. This year was the first time we won a national championship without winning the conference championship. Add in we were an Amida Brihma 3 point play away from bowing out in the first round and I would say 2014 was more of a surprise.
We don't have to pick; we're UConn fans; we have both to cherish. That said 2011 combines an unprecedented BE tourney and the NCAA
championship. The BE run was against better teams and five games in five nights. 2011 was a stronger team; 2014 was a great run in the NCAA's against a really formidable group of teams.
Without 2011; 2014 doesn't mean as much. 2011 showed that UConn could still be powerful. The aftermath of 2011 was pretty horrendous.
The 2012 team had a lot of talent, but they got lost in the wilderness. Then came the sanctions, the breakup of the Big East, Calhoun's retirement, the slap in the face of Louisville getting picked ahead of UConn for the ACC. The 2014 run has shown that UConn has overcome
the sanctions and the loss of JC. We're still in the realignment wilderness; the media narrative is still unfavorable. UConn is looked at
as a cheating program which is left on the sidelines of the Big Five Conferences cabal.
2014 means UConn can't be dismissed out of hand as a viable option in conference realignment. Still a successful football program means more, and gaining AAU status is a sine qua non. UConn can't afford any academic blips; it can't afford any negative press about player scandals. Even if all of this happens as we want and hope, it may not be enough.
People are poking us with sticks, much to their chagrin, we are still alive. They are still hoping that we will die; they really don't like reminders that we are still alive.
championship. The BE run was against better teams and five games in five nights. 2011 was a stronger team; 2014 was a great run in the NCAA's against a really formidable group of teams.
Without 2011; 2014 doesn't mean as much. 2011 showed that UConn could still be powerful. The aftermath of 2011 was pretty horrendous.
The 2012 team had a lot of talent, but they got lost in the wilderness. Then came the sanctions, the breakup of the Big East, Calhoun's retirement, the slap in the face of Louisville getting picked ahead of UConn for the ACC. The 2014 run has shown that UConn has overcome
the sanctions and the loss of JC. We're still in the realignment wilderness; the media narrative is still unfavorable. UConn is looked at
as a cheating program which is left on the sidelines of the Big Five Conferences cabal.
2014 means UConn can't be dismissed out of hand as a viable option in conference realignment. Still a successful football program means more, and gaining AAU status is a sine qua non. UConn can't afford any academic blips; it can't afford any negative press about player scandals. Even if all of this happens as we want and hope, it may not be enough.
People are poking us with sticks, much to their chagrin, we are still alive. They are still hoping that we will die; they really don't like reminders that we are still alive.
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I don't think anyone can argue that 2011 was a better run. 5 in 5 days at the the garden then you go on and run through the tournament with Kemba and a bunch of unheralded guys outside of AO nobody had heard of a Jeremy Lamb, Niels Giffey, a Tyler Olander, and some kid named Shabazz.
2014 was a more significant and meaningful run though. We fell from the mountain top rather quickly after 2011. A disappointing 2012 even with a more talented team than the year before we end up bounced (and embarrassed) in our 1st tournament game, then we get word we can't play in the NCAA tournament 2 players declare for the draft while others transfer, the Big East dissolves and in its final year of existence we receive word that the powers that be don't want us at the last real Big East tournament. We are not invited to the ACC and are passed over for Rutgers in the Big Ten, and what seemed like the final blow the architect of not only the men's program but some would say the man that is most responsible for the growth of the University as a whole retires. The program was not just buried six feet under it was boxed up and thrown into the Mariana Trench by most people never to be heard from again. From the depths of the ocean the program has risen back to the summit of Mt Everest in just 18 month. And now is finally getting the recognition it deserves as one of the elites.
With that said the 1999 run will always be the best to me. Yes the team was one of the two best teams all year but even the most diehard of UConn fans always had that though in the back of their mind that something would derail that team that season. We had had great season before that in 90 after Tate George hit the shot we thought we were destined to go to the Final 4 only to be crushed 2 days later by that Laetner shot, 1994 with our best player on the line chance to ice the game we all know what happens, 95 Huskies were running through the people but had the misfortune of being in the same bracket as the one team that could beat them. 96 after Ray hit the shot against GT and the team leaves the nets up at MSG because they were so focused on getting to Indy we had one of the best teams in the country and one of the best players in the country and we got upset by Miss St. 1998 we end up having to play UNC in NC played them tough but lost. Most thought this team was snake bitten and it was never going to happen, hell even in 1999 in that game against Gonzaga the zags were rolling they were America's sweethearts and KEA had his worst game of the tournament that year and we thought what the hell but when that clock struck 0.00 I was just in a state of disbelief it had finally happened and 8 days later when Trajon Langdon tripped the ball rolled and was picked up by Rashamel Jones the buzzer went off and KEA lept in front of the camera and said "We Shocked the World." The joy and excitement I felt as a student and calling my dad the next morning and the excitement he felt will never be matched.
2014 was a more significant and meaningful run though. We fell from the mountain top rather quickly after 2011. A disappointing 2012 even with a more talented team than the year before we end up bounced (and embarrassed) in our 1st tournament game, then we get word we can't play in the NCAA tournament 2 players declare for the draft while others transfer, the Big East dissolves and in its final year of existence we receive word that the powers that be don't want us at the last real Big East tournament. We are not invited to the ACC and are passed over for Rutgers in the Big Ten, and what seemed like the final blow the architect of not only the men's program but some would say the man that is most responsible for the growth of the University as a whole retires. The program was not just buried six feet under it was boxed up and thrown into the Mariana Trench by most people never to be heard from again. From the depths of the ocean the program has risen back to the summit of Mt Everest in just 18 month. And now is finally getting the recognition it deserves as one of the elites.
With that said the 1999 run will always be the best to me. Yes the team was one of the two best teams all year but even the most diehard of UConn fans always had that though in the back of their mind that something would derail that team that season. We had had great season before that in 90 after Tate George hit the shot we thought we were destined to go to the Final 4 only to be crushed 2 days later by that Laetner shot, 1994 with our best player on the line chance to ice the game we all know what happens, 95 Huskies were running through the people but had the misfortune of being in the same bracket as the one team that could beat them. 96 after Ray hit the shot against GT and the team leaves the nets up at MSG because they were so focused on getting to Indy we had one of the best teams in the country and one of the best players in the country and we got upset by Miss St. 1998 we end up having to play UNC in NC played them tough but lost. Most thought this team was snake bitten and it was never going to happen, hell even in 1999 in that game against Gonzaga the zags were rolling they were America's sweethearts and KEA had his worst game of the tournament that year and we thought what the hell but when that clock struck 0.00 I was just in a state of disbelief it had finally happened and 8 days later when Trajon Langdon tripped the ball rolled and was picked up by Rashamel Jones the buzzer went off and KEA lept in front of the camera and said "We Shocked the World." The joy and excitement I felt as a student and calling my dad the next morning and the excitement he felt will never be matched.
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