Awkward feeling of being historic prohibitive favorite.

[UconnU]

The fact entire storyline for the F4 is ‘can anyone give UConn a competitive game?’ has made the fan experience awkward in a really good way? Bama fans don’t argue back, they just agree that they will lose. We’ve had to invent things to get upset about, who is Sean Harrington? Some random blogger with a few thousand followers? . These opposing fans are demoralized that they have to play us. 1983 Martina Navratilova type stuff. How are you guys coping with all this? Once in a lifetime feeling as a fan?

 

[Inyatkin]

Not sure this would apply in the event of a Purdue final. Favorites, yes, but not prohibitive, not with that dude in the middle potentially shooting 30 free throws. Have to get there first, of course

 

[c29328]

It's pretty clear that UConn's best is much better than everybody else's but that doesn't mean the 3 opponents left can't win. It's a one game tourney and we have shocked the world before ourselves. It is odd being on this side of the pendulum though. I am talking myself down more often then up this week.

 

[superjohn]

It's pretty clear that UConn's best is much better than everybody else's but that doesn't mean the 3 opponents left can't win. It's a one game tourney and we have shocked the world before ourselves. It is odd being on this side of the pendulum though. I am talking myself down more often then up this week.

There should've been nothing shocking about UConn beating Duke in '99. That was the somewhat rare time Vegas got it completely wrong. They play that game 10 times and UConn wins 6 or 7 of them.

 

[auror]

I dislike it.

 

[c29328]

There should've been nothing shocking about UConn beating Duke in '99. That was the somewhat rare time Vegas got it completely wrong. They play that game 10 times and UConn wins 6 or 7 of them.

I agree. There's no way to put "tongue in cheek" in the text box. Sarcasm and nuance are hard to pull off on a board. I swung and missed.

 

[Scot-e]

It’s very strange heading to the game today and thinking of us as favorites- I like the giant killer role better- feels more familiar/comfortable. Im used to UConn fans being the only ones who believe we will win. On a side note I have a feeling Purdue fans are going to be some of my least favorite in resent memory.

 

[Chin Diesel]

What's kinda weird is almost everyone on this board roots for one of the following: Yankees, Red Sox, Celtics, Patriots, Giants.

And if you're over age 40, every single one of those teams has gone in to the playoffs as prohibitive favorites and no one really freaked out as a fan of what it felt like to be a favorite. Not saying those teams won every time they were a favorite, but as a fan, it was good to be the king.

Embrace it. History still says UConn may be doooomed, but enjoy the target on the back and enjoy the press, the coverage and the haters.

 

[nomar]

There should've been nothing shocking about UConn beating Duke in '99. That was the somewhat rare time Vegas got it completely wrong. They play that game 10 times and UConn wins 6 or 7 of them.

The spread was wayyyy off but I don't agree that we were better, much less clearly better. I think that's hindsight bias. Our 2004 team, on the other hand, was definitely better than theirs.

 

[superjohn]

It’s very strange heading to the game today and thinking of us as favorites- I like the giant killer role better- feels more familiar/comfortable. Im used to UConn fans being the only ones who believe we will win. On a side note I have a feeling Purdue fans are going to be some of my least favorite in resent memory.

You seem confused.

 

[nomar]

What's kinda weird is almost everyone on this board roots for one of the following: Yankees, Red Sox, Celtics, Patriots, Giants.

And if you're over age 40, every single one of those teams has gone in to the playoffs as prohibitive favorites and no one really freaked out as a fan of what it felt like to be a favorite. Not saying those teams won every time they were a favorite, but as a fan, it was good to be the king.

Embrace it. History still says UConn may be doooomed, but enjoy the target on the back and enjoy the press, the coverage and the haters.

Agreed. I am enjoying every second of it. If we lose, we lose, but all we can control is how much we worry.

 

[SubbaBub]

Similar was said in 2004 and even last years FF, but dooomed.

 

[Scot-e]

You seem confused.

It’s like you know me.

 

[gtcam]

Is this what it's like to be Duke EVERY damn year?
Except that UConn has a recent history of finishing what they started

 

[HuskyHawk]

There should've been nothing shocking about UConn beating Duke in '99. That was the somewhat rare time Vegas got it completely wrong. They play that game 10 times and UConn wins 6 or 7 of them.

It was a 50-50 game. Which is exactly how I view Purdue - UConn if it happens. It really should be a toss-up like that game was. We aren't and shouldn't be prohibitive favorites, because Purdue has been just as good all along.

 

[McLovin]

While I hate it from the mojo stand point (everyone will be channeling their energy against us) and from the stand point that the crowd will be very anti-UConn, this team has mentally played with a target on their back all season. So the pressure on them will be nothing new.

 

[nomar]

It was a 50-50 game. Which is exactly how I view Purdue - UConn if it happens. It really should be a toss-up like that game was. We aren't and shouldn't be prohibitive favorites, because Purdue has been just as good all along.

If we and Purdue make it, it will be similar to '99 in that the two obviously best teams all season long (sorry, Houston) are playing for the title.

 

[cellocgg]

UConn is always the team to break norms in CBK. If any team would be the one to break the consecutive titles drought, it would be UConn

 

[Inyatkin]

For people unfamiliar with being Final Four favorites, did you just sleep through last year's run?

 

[bazz&boujee]

Feel guilty but compared to last year… the joy of advancing each round does not match. Winning is expectation this time around…

 

[Chin Diesel]

For people unfamiliar with being Final Four favorites, did you just sleep through last year's run?

I think the difference is this team has been on a whole year's worth of domination.

Last year there was the great start, and the rise in the rankings. BE regular season was topsy turvy and the team didn't win either the regular season or conference tourney.

This season has been top-5 all year long, a historical domination in BE regular season, a BET tourney championship and an even greater run of domination through the NCAA. Plus, on its face, this year's FF is a tougher group of teams than last year's FF.

 

[Tenspro2002]

There should've been nothing shocking about UConn beating Duke in '99. That was the somewhat rare time Vegas got it completely wrong. They play that game 10 times and UConn wins 6 or 7 of them.

The line should have been closer to -3 than -10. That was ridiculous for Duke against a 2-loss team.

By comparison, the conditional lines for us against Purdue are like -250/+205 and a spread of -5.5.

 

[Tenspro2002]

I think the difference is this team has been on a whole year's worth of domination.

Last year there was the great start, and the rise in the rankings. BE regular season was topsy turvy and the team didn't win either the regular season or conference tourney.

This season has been top-5 all year long, a historical domination in BE regular season, a BET tourney championship and an even greater run of domination through the NCAA. Plus, on its face, this year's FF is a tougher group of teams than last year's FF.

21-2 in the Big East was absolutely absurd.

 

[TheShot1990]

While I hate it from the mojo stand point (everyone will be channeling their energy against us) and from the stand point that the crowd will be very anti-UConn, this team has mentally played with a target on their back all season. So the pressure on them will be nothing new.

I too hate it from a mojo standpoint, but when I step back, everyone in the country is talking about UConn. My friends are texting me about the final four. People in the office are talking about em (and I'm not in CT). Nothing could be better or our program. The New York Post is even writing about OUR plane rides, not their beloved slick Rick.

Like it or not, we are the new blue bloods (I can't force myself to say that other school's disgusting name).

 

[gsmooth]

If we and Purdue make it, it will be similar to '99 in that the two obviously best teams all season long (sorry, Houston) are playing for the title.

In fact, UConn was #1 more weeks in the 1999 regular season than Duke I recall correctly. I never bought into the idea that UConn was a big underdog. I viewed the UConn vs Duke as the clash of titans with Duke being the well known behemoth.



Going back to what you said, 1999 is very similar for sure. When I heard this audio on Field of 68 the first thought was "Purdue, they are us from 1999". There were Purdue alums crying about them making the first Final Four in forever whereas with UConn it was the first Final Four ever in their history. This audio sounds very similar to what Gus Johnson says at the 2 min mark of the video below:




I was at all 3 games in the 1999 Final Four. I can tell you UConn was the sentimental favorite team the neutral fans and the remaining Ohio State fans and the remaining Michigan State fans were cheering for. Even back at my hotel which was full of Michigan State fans, they were all pulling for UConn. About 70% of the fans that Monday night in March 29, 1999 were pulling for UConn in Tropicana Field. I imagine Purdue and NC State will be the sentimental favorites this time around.

Having said all of this, let's see UConn get by, or better yet, smash Alabama first. It starts with taking the slingshot (3 pt shooting) out of their hand and then competing and saying "let's go now". I am hoping the basketball gods finally give UConn their 3 pt shooting back for, hopefully, their next 2 games.