Purdue banner hanging

[CL82]

I'm curious as to how many of those poking fun ar Purdue hanging that banner were fully invested in the program during the decades leading up to our first title

I know you're old enough to remember this, but Connecticut fans were incredibly passionate in the years before our first national championship. Heck, we were incredibly passionate during the Dom Perno years. Connecticut loves men's basketball and it loves their Huskies. That's been true as long as I can remember.

 

[FfldCntyFan]

I know you're old enough to remember this, but Connecticut fans were incredibly passionate in the years before our first national championship. Heck, we were incredibly passionate during the Dom Perno years. Connecticut loves men's basketball and it loves their Huskies. That's been true as long as I can remember.

I know that. I also know that more than 99% of the fanbase from those days would have been thrilled with hanging a final four banner if we had the opportunity.

There may be some fan bases that have accomplished enough that the banner Purdue just hung would not be considered (and we logically would be one of them) but there are very few that shouldn't celebrate that accomplishment.

 

[Horatio]

So proud of what Sticks did in 2009. I always count that final four, with pride. We know the circumstances.

 

[Palatine]

Well, I wouldn't go that far: IMHO Final Fours are made-up construct of the tourney and shouldn't be all that amazing - basically it says you are one of the top 4 teams is all.

Natty's #1 (e.g., winner)
Natty participant #2 (e.g., loser)
Conference post season champ
Conference reg season champ

Else why not celebrate making it to the Elite 8 - another tournament construct

The NCAA Tourney is basically three two-game tournaments. That's why there are Sweet 16 banners. The next round is the Regional Championship. Win one game in the regionals and folks hang an Elite Eight Banner. Win the Regional Championship and you advance to the final four. Win the FF and you're National Champs.

Every step on that journey is an accomplishment. It's why most the schools in the country go crazy when they just make the tournament. For many of the 300 teams in D1 an invite to the dance is generational accomplishment. Those schools hang a NCAA tournament and year banner.

My guess is that very school in every Final Four has hung a banner. To call one of most difficult accomplishments in college basketball "participation" is to not understand college basketball.

 

[freescooter]

People were actually crying with joy when we won the NIT. Give it a rest on Purdue. It ain’t like Duke handing the banner for being the best in the Sargin ratings in 1999. THAT deserved being made fun of!

 

[UC0NN]

Well, I wouldn't go that far: IMHO Final Fours are made-up construct of the tourney and shouldn't be all that amazing - basically it says you are one of the top 4 teams is all.

Natty's #1 (e.g., winner)
Natty participant #2 (e.g., loser)
Conference post season champ
Conference reg season champ

Else why not celebrate making it to the Elite 8 - another tournament construct

A final 4 is worth way more than reg season conf champ or conf post season champ. So is an elite 8.

An elite 8 for Rutgers is a celebration. For 2006 Uconn it is an epic fail. So it really depends. In 2023, Uconn elite 8 was a huge success if the year had ended there.

Winning back to back sure has changed things. Pretty soon we will forget Calhoun's first name after we 3 peat.

 

[BigTenFan]

Uconn has achieved incredible success and winning even 1 Championship is something very few schools ever achieve.
However, kudos to Matt Painter and Purdue for the culture he has built. He runs a clean program, recruits a lot of local kids and most of his kids graduate from a top university. I am biased having two kids there....and they would love to have a different banner hanging but ask any Purdue fan and they will tell you the best team won last year.
I will be at Gampel tomorrow night watching the Uconn Banner get raised. GO Huskies

On a separate note- Edey has silenced a lot of doubters in the NBA scoring 20 and 10 rebounds last night.

 

[boog204]

We not only have a final four banner up but I think we used to have Sweet 16 and Final/Elite 8 banners, too. And yet again, why do some view our fanbase as "toxic" and douchey.

 

[UC0NN]

Zach Edey goes from projected 2nd round pick in 23 to lottery in 24. While his game is exactly the same. Obviously the pro scouts got it right eventually.

 

[Dutch Boyd]

Absolutely they should hang that and be proud of it. The final four is the promise land. It’s a huge accomplishment and is considered a memorable season. I’ll always take a final four appearance over any conference championship. When coaches are talked about, it’s always mentioned how many final four appearances they have.

 

[CL82]

I know that. I also know that more than 99% of the fanbase from those days would have been thrilled with hanging a final four banner if we had the opportunity.

There may be some fan bases that have accomplished enough that the banner Purdue just hung would not be considered (and we logically would be one of them) but there are very few that shouldn't celebrate that accomplishment.

I don't think Connecticut fans care way or another what Purdue fans choose to celebrate or not celebrate. I do think the notion of "how cute they're putting up a losers banner" is pretty typical among sports fans and particularly of The Boneyard.

 

[superjohn]

Uconn has achieved incredible success and winning even 1 Championship is something very few schools ever achieve.
However, kudos to Matt Painter and Purdue for the culture he has built. He runs a clean program, recruits a lot of local kids and most of his kids graduate from a top university. I am biased having two kids there....and they would love to have a different banner hanging but ask any Purdue fan and they will tell you the best team won last year.
I will be at Gampel tomorrow night watching the Uconn Banner get raised. GO Huskies

On a separate note- Edey has silenced a lot of doubters in the NBA scoring 20 and 10 rebounds last night.

I love seeing Edey prove the doubters wrong. It's great for the sport to realize big men who play like big men are hugely important. It makes our domination of Purdue all the more impressive too.

 

[Inyatkin]

I would like a few more Final4's.

If you want people to stop questioning Blue Blood status, it would be help not to be in double digits here.

Teams with Most Final4's Appearances
1 North Carolina 21
2 UCLA 19
3 Kentucky 17
3 Duke 17
5 Kansas 16
6 Michigan State 10
6 Louisville 10
6 Ohio State 10
9 Indiana 8
9 Michigan 8
11 Villanova 7
11 UConn 7

Before March 2024 we were tied with 5 other teams with 6.

I'd like to add to our Final Four totals too, but every time we make one lately we add a title, too. That's not a bad thing

 

[gtcam]

A final 4 is worth way more than reg season conf champ or conf post season champ. So is an elite 8.

An elite 8 for Rutgers is a celebration. For 2006 Uconn it is an epic fail. So it really depends. In 2023, Uconn elite 8 was a huge success if the year had ended there.

Winning back to back sure has changed things. Pretty soon we will forget Calhoun's first name after we 3 peat.

Omar

 

[my2cents]

Nothing wrong with their banner, they had a great year. Now if Northwestern put up a banner that stated we beat UConn in the second half 40-35, that I would have an issue with.

 

[TheChamps990411]

The banner Purdue hung tonight says "2024 Final Four" and "National Finalist"... The word champion is not in evidence... Sure, I was being a little snarky, but I'd feel the same way about seeing that banner in gampel.

Its like falling in love with the woman of your dreams and you get to be the best man at her wedding.

 

[Dutch Boyd]

I'd like to add to our Final Four totals too, but every time we make one lately we add a title, too. That's not a bad thing

Same. Realistically we could be at 9. 1990 and 2006 were there for the taking. UCLA, UNC and Maryland we just ran into better teams. It’s all about matchups and how the bracket unfolds. The beauty about history is that it doesn’t stop. We have the best coach and I see many more in our future.

 

[DogMania]

A final 4 is worth way more than reg season conf champ or conf post season champ. So is an elite 8.

An elite 8 for Rutgers is a celebration. For 2006 Uconn it is an epic fail. So it really depends. In 2023, Uconn elite 8 was a huge success if the year had ended there.

Winning back to back sure has changed things. Pretty soon we will forget Calhoun's first name after we 3 peat.

Whoa! We wouldn't even have Hurley if not for Jim Calhoun setting the standard and culture of winning at UConn. Tiny Storrs in one of the smallest states in the Union isn't exactly where one would think to find the Basketball Capital of the World, which got put on the map by coach Jim Calhoun.

Never ever forget that!!!

 

[cwh20]

I know that. I also know that more than 99% of the fanbase from those days would have been thrilled with hanging a final four banner if we had the opportunity.

We went over to Ybor City on the off day of the FF in 1999 and they had really nice quality Final Four polos for each of the teams at an outdoor market. I gladly bought a UConn one. What a great long weekend. 77-74!

 

[boog204]

Same. Realistically we could be at 9. 1990 and 2006 were there for the taking. UCLA, UNC and Maryland we just ran into better teams. It’s all about matchups and how the bracket unfolds. The beauty about history is that it doesn’t stop. We have the best coach and I see many more in our future.

As much as I have incredible memories of the Dream Season and everything associated with it, I think we would've gotten destroyed by UNLV.

 

[Dutch Boyd]

As much as I have incredible memories of the Dream Season and everything associated with it, I think we would've gotten destroyed by UNLV.

Of course, but I was referring to just making our first trip to the final four. If Tate only could keep that ball inbounds it changes history or Christian misses that shot.

 

[UC0NN]

As much as I have incredible memories of the Dream Season and everything associated with it, I think we would've gotten destroyed by UNLV.

Of course UNLV probably destroys us, but you never know. I take my chances with Calhoun any day of the week.

The goal is to make a final 4, it means you have had a great season. You cut down the nets. Of course when you get there you want to win it all.

 

[ctchamps]

Well, I wouldn't go that far: IMHO Final Fours are made-up construct of the tourney and shouldn't be all that amazing - basically it says you are one of the top 4 teams is all.

Natty's #1 (e.g., winner)
Natty participant #2 (e.g., loser)
Conference post season champ
Conference reg season champ

Else why not celebrate making it to the Elite 8 - another tournament construct

Maybe you're too young to remember that a great many UConn fans in the mid nineties wanted to replace JC with a different coach because they didn't think he could get us to a final four. It only took six years for the luster of the Dream Season to wear off. Once a goal is reached a new goal is strived for.

Those were the days when UConn fans understood the difficulty and value of achieving a final four. We would have celebrated an appearance in a final four back then even if we didn't make it to the finals. The atmosphere in the arena is second to none. It gets more hype than any other basketball event. Most college basketball fans rank it as an extremely great achievement and not some made up construct.

As an aside those were the days where there was a perception JC's teams were donuts - always had a hole at the center because JC couldn't recruit a decent center.

 

[Scottobot]

Just watched Purdue hang a participation banner for last year's final. Good for them.

I wouldn't trade ours for it.

Maybe some people are too young to remember but in 90s the goal / dream was to just make a final four. We ended up winning the championship the first time we made it to final four, but just making the final four was a monumental event for UConn, which would have been celebrated even if we didn’t win the championship.

 

[FfldCntyFan]

Maybe you're too young to remember that a great many UConn fans in the mid nineties wanted to replace JC with a different coach because they didn't think he could get us to a final four. It only took six years for the luster of the Dream Season to wear off. Once a goal is reached a new goal is strived for.

Those were the days when UConn fans understood the difficulty and value of achieving a final four. We would have celebrated an appearance in a final four back then even if we didn't make it to the finals. The atmosphere in the arena is second to none. It gets more hype than any other basketball event. Most college basketball fans rank it as an extremely great achievement and not some made up construct.

As an aside those were the days where there was a perception JC's teams were donuts - always had a hole at the center because JC couldn't recruit a decent center.

I don't know if it was a great many but they did exist (including a couple of gentlemen some 20 years older than me who sat behind me in the civic center.
I was mid 30's at the time) who would endlessly state that JC took us as far as he could and it was time for someone else to take the next step.

They were difficult to deal with.