Champions Classic: time for a change

[August_West]

Every November there is the Champions Classic, made up of Duke, Kentucky, Kansas and………….
Michigan State?

Michigan State is champion of what exactly? It just doesn’t fit. If you wanted to put 1 title team with a decrepit, cranky coach whose lonely title was 20 plus years ago why not Syracuse before Boeheim retired? Same frickin difference

Michigan St. “champion”?

 

[UCfor3]

Let them have it. We will continue to hang banners. Another option. UNC, UCLA, Indiana, UConn starts their own little private club.

 

[Mr. French]

It didn't even make sense like 5 years ago. Now it definitely doesn't.

 

[Tenspro2002]

Michigan State is the Chaminade of this event.

 

[August_West]

Let them have it. We will continue to hang banners. Another option. UNC, UCLA, Indiana, UConn starts their own little private club.

Have to remove ucla and Indiana or we have same problem just from different angle. Those two teams have 2 titles combined in 36 years

 

[superjohn]

Have to remove ucla and Indiana or we have same problem just from different angle. Those two teams have 2 titles combined in 36 years

Those are the only other winning programs. It's either UConn playing Nova but they already play them 2-3 times per year or UConn playing themselves.

 

[August_West]

Those are the only other winning programs. It's either UConn playing Nova but they already play them 2-3 times per year or UConn playing themselves.

Maybe our bench could be on one side of the bracket

 

[UCfor3]

Superjohn said it. No other candidates that make sense. Would be a great event still.

 

[navery12]

As weird as it sounds, you run into the issue of UCLA and Indiana being from the same conference. That being said, make it happen.

Hell, make it interesting and move the 2 winners up into the current Champions Classic and relegate the 2 losers every year

 

[ctchamps]

UConn, Nova, UConn’s bench and one non BE token of UNC.

NBE, OBE makes no difference except to freescooter. Results are the same. The conference of men’s and women’s bb champions.

 

[UCfor3]

As weird as it sounds, you run into the issue of UCLA and Indiana being from the same conference. That being said, make it happen.

Hell, make it interesting and move the 2 winners up into the current Champions Classic and relegate the 2 losers every year

Arizona is even thinner than Michigan St. Gonzaga never won it so not a champion. Don't get me started on Louisville... nope, nope, nope

 

[UCfor3]

As weird as it sounds, you run into the issue of UCLA and Indiana being from the same conference. That being said, make it happen.

Hell, make it interesting and move the 2 winners up into the current Champions Classic and relegate the 2 losers every year

Forgot about UCLA and USC going to Big10. Somehow it only computes in my brain when thinking about football. Oh, well. Only a hypothetical anyway but something can be worked out if demand and money of course is there.

 

[UofCT]

Let them have it. We will continue to hang banners. Another option. UNC, UCLA, Indiana, UConn starts their own little private club.

Exactly. The real champions classic is the championship game.

 

[auror]

Do 1 game a year rotating between these 8 programs. 2 games a night for 2 nights to kick off the season (like a Tues/Wed to avoid NFL/College football).

All 8 teams with 3+ titles.
UConn
Kentucky
UNC
UCLA
Duke
Indiana
Villanova
Kansas

Play the other 6 teams you're eligible to play (conference mates don't play each other) over 6 years and then start the rotation over. (Kansas/Kentucky don't play each other to make the rotation work since their conferences only have 1 each).

 

[bendm]

Start another one with
UNC
UConn
UCLA
Zona
Can’t have 2 teams from same conference

 

[Umami Zen]

Maybe they should rename the Tournament and keep the same teams?? LOL

 

[Palatine]

Just have a UConn split squad game and call it the 21st Century Champions Classic.

 

[Waquoit]

Every November there is the Champions Classic, made up of Duke, Kentucky, Kansas and………….
Michigan State?

Michigan State is champion of what exactly? It just doesn’t fit. If you wanted to put 1 title team with a decrepit, cranky coach whose lonely title was 20 plus years ago why not Syracuse before Boeheim retired? Same frickin difference

Michigan St. “champion”?

Patience, grasshopper. As Dan Hurley said, it's coming.

 

[FfldCntyFan]

Every November there is the Champions Classic, made up of Duke, Kentucky, Kansas and………….
Michigan State?

Michigan State is champion of what exactly? It just doesn’t fit. If you wanted to put 1 title team with a decrepit, cranky coach whose lonely title was 20 plus years ago why not Syracuse before Boeheim retired? Same frickin difference

Michigan St. “champion”?

Michigan St was able to win two games as a Big 10 school this past tournament. Do you realize how difficult this is to accomplish?

 

[jibsey]

Indiana? A lot of dust on those trophies.

 

[UCfor3]

Indiana? A lot of dust on those trophies.

Who then? A lot of dust on UCLA too. Has to be a champion and can't have 2 teams from same conference. Duke, Kentucky, Kansas, Mich St taken. UConn and UNC obvious. Need 2 more.

 

[MrSec238]

Guys this is a grouping of schools who came together to make this event with ESPN. Its not up for adjustments unless they decide they want to expand it when the current deal ends in 2025.

 

[CTBasketball]

Michigan St lol. And there are people on here that would sell their soil to join them in the Big Ten. All that cash to never win ever again.

 

[RichCTBB]

Florida has 2 chips….even though we own them.

 

[Husky25]

As weird as it sounds, you run into the issue of UCLA and Indiana being from the same conference. That being said, make it happen.

Hell, make it interesting and move the 2 winners up into the current Champions Classic and relegate the 2 losers every year

You know that is how the game is going to be marketed.

My retort would be, why not have San Francisco play Holy Cross in a doubleheader lead in?