NCAAT- Who to root for?

[gampelcrazies]

UConn

 

[huskyjawz]

Not Kentucky or Duke. Anything other than that is acceptable

ditto

 

[Marty Jackson]

really hoping that much of the NBE teams fall in round 1. SMU and/or Cincy making a run only helps the image of the AAC.

 

[Jerry1714]

Smu, Cincy - AAC

Iowa State, OK, Utah - I have future bets on them

Wisky and Zona - they are who i have in my bracket.

 

[8893]

Being of Irish and Italian descent, I hold a lot of grudges. This means:

No Kentucky
No Duke
No ACC
No NBE
No Wisconsin
No SMU

Go Zags!

 

[CTBasketball]

Hoping the B10 faceplants so they convince themselves they need another basketball power and add the University of Connecticut.

 

[smudubs]

I started reading this board last year as I was rooting for UCONN after SMU got snubbed. Personally I've always rooted for conference teams except Memphis. I dislike the city and the team.

Now for my tangent. I was really looking forward to BE basketball. I grew up watching those teams and looked forward to seeing all of those teams roll through Moody. Unfortunately it didn't happen. Like your fans, SMU fans are disappointed in being relegated to the American. I have read enough other fan's forums to say that for this conference to survive, every school has to do what they can to position themselves for a P5 invite. SMU and Houston are doing what they can to get out. UCONN and Cincinnati are doing what they can to get out, as are Memphis and to a lesser extent Temple. I think Cincinnati and Memphis are probably best positioned to make the jump, but other schools seem willing to ride the coattails of the schools seeking P5 inclusion. Until those schools decide to invest enough to move on, we are all stuck in athletic purgatory. Unfortunately, UCONN face a similar fate as SMU and Houston. The major conferences that make the most sense aren't looking at us and that's why I'm rapidly losing interest in college athletics. Sadly, the Big East you all knew is as dead as the SWC I grew up watching. All we can do is win the conference we're in and pray for the P5 invite. Until that time comes all we can do is try to create good rivalries in our current conference. I don't speak for all Mustang Nation, but I will embrace our games against your Huskies until one of us moves on to greener pastures. As long as you're not playing SMU I'm a UCONN fan.

 

[gtcam]

My Final Four is:

Wichita State
Wisconsin
Virginia
Iowa St
I have Wisconsin winning it all

Someone above said PC???? WTF-blasphemy
No Puke - not only the 4 title issue but my contempt towards them wont allow it
No Kensucky- Squid - enough said
No Villanova- their history in the dance will not allow me to worry
No Louisville - Pitino - a step below the Squid
No SMU - Nic Moore and Larry Brown - no way
No Notre Dame - never liked the program
UNC - who cares it will be taken away

 

[BigErnMcCracken]

I'm convinced Larry Brown nailed your wife. Such an irrational disdain for the guy. I get a kick out of it.

 

[gtcam]

I started reading this board last year as I was rooting for UCONN after SMU got snubbed. Personally I've always rooted for conference teams except Memphis. I dislike the city and the team.

Now for my tangent. I was really looking forward to BE basketball. I grew up watching those teams and looked forward to seeing all of those teams roll through Moody. Unfortunately it didn't happen. Like your fans, SMU fans are disappointed in being relegated to the American. I have read enough other fan's forums to say that for this conference to survive, every school has to do what they can to position themselves for a P5 invite. SMU and Houston are doing what they can to get out. UCONN and Cincinnati are doing what they can to get out, as are Memphis and to a lesser extent Temple. I think Cincinnati and Memphis are probably best positioned to make the jump, but other schools seem willing to ride the coattails of the schools seeking P5 inclusion. Until those schools decide to invest enough to move on, we are all stuck in athletic purgatory. Unfortunately, UCONN face a similar fate as SMU and Houston. The major conferences that make the most sense aren't looking at us and that's why I'm rapidly losing interest in college athletics. Sadly, the Big East you all knew is as dead as the SWC I grew up watching. All we can do is win the conference we're in and pray for the P5 invite. Until that time comes all we can do is try to create good rivalries in our current conference. I don't speak for all Mustang Nation, but I will embrace our games against your Huskies until one of us moves on to greener pastures. As long as you're not playing SMU I'm a UCONN fan.

I understand your sentiments
I don't understand you comparatives of UConn, Houston and SMU and the use of the word relegated-basketball wise.
SMU and Houston were relegated?
If anything, they were bettered by being placed with UConn and Cincinnati and to some extent Memphis
SMU/Houston/Memphis are no where near in the same place as UConn in the sense of basketball - both men and women
In the general overall picture of all sports, each school has its strengths and its weaknesses so I cant say on an overall view who is in a better position to move on to a P5
I guess its all up to the football programs - Ugh

 

[8893]

I respect Larry Brown. I don't know if it was discussed here because I was at the game, but his insistence on the home locker room and home bench at the XL on Sunday was a very smart move. I was shocked that Cincy and Tulsa let us keep the home locker room and home bench, and when I showed up and saw that Brown had moved us out I knew he was there to play and there to win. Of course, this meant that I was now sitting behind the SMU bench instead of ours, so I also got to watch him in action quite a bit. The man had his team very well prepared for that game and I was impressed.

I don't like the team though. I do think they are dirty--especially Moore--and I do think that they intentionally targeted Boat with a specific intent to hurt him and take him out of the game, which they essentially did. Conference affiliation be damned; I want them to get smoked by Iowa State. I will allow them to beat UCLA, just because UCLA should not be there, period, and that point needs to be reinforced with an early exit.

 

[MattMang23]

No one in the ACC

No one in the NBE

No Kentucky

No one with perceived higher prestige not already covered: UCLA, Indiana, Kansas

No Syracuse... Oh wait

None of our former conference mates who moved to a greener pa$ture: West Virginia

No one we are in a Diamond Stone battle with: Wisky, Maryland or Okie St.

So that leaves me with Arizona, Gonzaga and the rest of the field who probably can't win it

 

[gtcam]

I'm convinced Larry Brown nailed your wife. Such an irrational disdain for the guy. I get a kick out of it.

you are a complete db - a mature statement about someone's wife but not unexpected from you - I would expect that from my 14 year old next door neighbor but even he can see the differences between success and marginality
glad I could entertain you
I have no irrational disdain, just don't understand how those like you can state his greatness without anything to back it up - his HoF was/is due to longevity
Again, his record speaks for itself

 

[Horatio]

SMU and Nova

 

[4in16]

I'm rooting for a 3rd consecutive year of an 8 beating a 1.

 

[BigErnMcCracken]

you are a complete db - a mature statement about someone's wife but not unexpected from you - I would expect that from my 14 year old next door neighbor but even he can see the differences between success and marginality
glad I could entertain you
I have no irrational disdain, just don't understand how those like you can state his greatness without anything to back it up - his HoF was/is due to longevity
Again, his record speaks for itself

No, trust me, I think it's you that is right and literally everyone else associated with the sport that's wrong. Truly.

 

[Karmacop]

UVa - went to grad school there, so they're my second team
Iowa State - respect their program, and enjoy watching them
SMU and Cincy - conference teams
Wisconsin and Zona - because they have a good chance to knock off Kentucky and Duke, who I pray do not win
Gonzaga - would be fun to finally see them win it

 

[4in16]

Anyone not named Kentucky or duke.

 

[tzznandrew]

SMU and Houston were relegated?

Long before we were, they were, by raids coming from the SEC and the Big 8.

Look up the SWC.

That conference had numerous Final Fours (Houston among them) and a championship out of Arkansas before the raids.

 

[CallMeBruce]

Zona for days. I've always been a closet Zona fan since the '97 title. That team was so fun to watch.

 

[RipCity]

If UK, Duke, and KU don't win, I'm happy.

SMU would be ideal. I could get behind Gonzaga, but I think they're overrated. Arizona, Wisconsin, Iowa State are all good with me too.

 

[smudubs]

I understand your sentiments
I don't understand you comparatives of UConn, Houston and SMU and the use of the word relegated-basketball wise.
SMU and Houston were relegated?
If anything, they were bettered by being placed with UConn and Cincinnati and to some extent Memphis
SMU/Houston/Memphis are no where near in the same place as UConn in the sense of basketball - both men and women
In the general overall picture of all sports, each school has its strengths and its weaknesses so I cant say on an overall view who is in a better position to move on to a P5
I guess its all up to the football programs - Ugh

I was in no way comparing SMU and Houston to your basketball program. That would be blasphemy. My comment was more global as it relates to all sports. When the Big XII expands, I believe Memphis and Cincinnati will be in the discussion. Well ahead of any other team in the conference. From a geographical perspective, however, I think Houston and SMU are a better fit. But that won't happen. Likewise, I think UCONN is a better fit for the ACC, but don't see that happening in the near future. SMU's only hope is that a major conference decides to expand east (Pac 12), west (SEC or ACC), or south (Big). And the only way for that to happen is if Houston comes along as a travel partner. And I admit the chances of any of that happening is slim. If UCONN gets it's football house in order, you have a shot on your on merits without the hopes of another university stepping up it's game.

That being said, we all may be yoked together for some time because a lot has to happen for any of us to be called up from AAA. I know many of you look at SMU with disdain, but it's in everyone's best interest that SMU continue the upward progress in basketball and football and that all other teams in the conference do the same. We don't have to like one another, but I think we should respect and pull for one another.

 

[tzznandrew]

I was in no way comparing SMU and Houston to your basketball program. That would be blasphemy. My comment was more global as it relates to all sports. When the Big XII expands, I believe Memphis and Cincinnati will be in the discussion. Well ahead of any other team in the conference. From a geographical perspective, however, I think Houston and SMU are a better fit. But that won't happen. Likewise, I think UCONN is a better fit for the ACC, but don't see that happening in the near future. SMU's only hope is that a major conference decides to expand east (Pac 12), west (SEC or ACC), or south (Big). And the only way for that to happen is if Houston comes along as a travel partner. And I admit the chances of any of that happening is slim. If UCONN gets it's football house in order, you have a shot on your on merits without the hopes of another university stepping up it's game.

That being said, we all may be yoked together for some time because a lot has to happen for any of us to be called up from AAA. I know many of you look at SMU with disdain, but it's in everyone's best interest that SMU continue the upward progress in basketball and football and that all other teams in the conference do the same. We don't have to like one another, but I think we should respect and pull for one another.

I'm hoping we either:

1) root for each other from separate P5 conferences; or,
2) develop a healthy dislike for each other.

As it is now, I'm definitely pulling for you guys. Do our conference proud.

 

[John]

Cannot believe I'm back to rooting for conference, but I'm rooting for conference. SMU. FML.

 

[UCweCONN]

Why would anyone want another AAC team to win the title (never happen by the way)? I know you'll say to build the reputation of the conference, but I'm not of that viewpoint. We don't need anything to help their recruiting and have better regular seasons and cost us one of the conference's two NCAA bids. I prefer a team like Virginia whose winning would be an aberration and not lead to their long term dominance. For me, every decision about who to root for comes down to what's in UCONN's best interest. If not for Diamond Stone, I'd be pulling for Wisconsin. They're a pretty likeable team and probably have the best chance to beat Kensucky.