Happy for Larranaga

[Gurleyman]

Health issues or no, I still put 1996 as the worst loss of the Calhoun era, over 2006. We went into the NCAAs with a record of 30-2. We knew there was a mass exodus after the season. And there was all that no-Final-Four history, which was at a fever pitch by then.
I remember watching Syracuse take apart that Mississippi State team in the Final Four and thinking, there's no way this is the same team that beat us.
Also, good coach or not, I will not be happy for Larranaga, thank you.

I pretty much agree - 1996 was a "this HAS to be the year" sort of year. I did happen to watch Mississippi State smack Kentucky in the SEC title game, so I was wary going in. And then they had to beat a pretty good Cincy team after us (pre-KMart, but still top 10), which meant three top 10 wins in two weeks. However, they were a 10-loss team for a reason and they regressed to the mean eventually.

Sort of funny in hindsight that the "No Final Four" history was already such a massive albatross in 1996, and we had only really been seriously in the picture three times prior (1990, 1994, 1995).

 

[Inyatkin]

I pretty much agree - 1996 was a "this HAS to be the year" sort of year. I did happen to watch Mississippi State smack Kentucky in the SEC title game, so I was wary going in. And then they had to beat a pretty good Cincy team after us (pre-KMart, but still top 10), which meant three top 10 wins in two weeks. However, they were a 10-loss team for a reason and they regressed to the mean eventually.

Sort of funny in hindsight that the "No Final Four" history was already such a massive albatross in 1996, and we had only really been seriously in the picture three times prior (1990, 1994, 1995).

I'd forgotten that. I watched that SEC title game and we all rooted like crazy for Miss. St. because it would mean Kentucky was beatable. I also remember being really happy for Syracuse and their John Wallace run that year. Times change.

 

[businesslawyer]

I know the ACC sucks and Miami is a dirty program but I'm still happy for Jim Larranaga, the guy is a damn good coach.

I wish no harm upon the man and have a lot of respect for him, but I will never be happy for anything he does. I still can't hear living on a prayer come on the radio without getting angry.