Where Does This Title Rank in The 8

[RockyMTblue2]

Dish'n & Swishin broached the subject and one of the journalists put it down as number 8. It does not feel like that to me. I think the level of competition has been elevated and specifically the number of offensive weapons on teams has gone up. The defensive intensity of this team and its general level of speed of play has been tremendous. I cannot pretend to rank it 1-8, but it just does not feel like an 8 to me.

 

[Phil]

#1, but then I'm a what have you done for me lately kind of guy

 

[alexrgct]

What was the ranking based on? Caliber of season, caliber of team?

Like I posted on a thread I started yesterday, this championship season has been like no other Geno has had. If I'm ranking the seasons pillar to post, it goes:

2009
2002
2010
1995
2000
2003
2013
2004

If I'm ranking caliber of team by season's end, it's:

2002
2010
2009
2000
2013
1995
2003
2004

Blasphemy, I know, but the depth of athleticism compared to 1995 is just silly. And the way this 2013 squad just left skid marks on the field en route to the championship was a sight to behold.

 

[Icebear]

Alex, what if you rate the season by the emotional satisfaction of its outcome.

Simply as an emotional response to the team's journey to the championship this is probably my favorite.

 

[alexrgct]

That's an interesting question. If I were to hazard a stab at it:

1995
2009
2013
2000
2002
2003
2010
2004

But it's not like any of them were unsatisfying. I mean, 2004 was pretty awesome.

 

[Sakibomb25]

Alex, what if you rate the season by the emotional satisfaction of its outcome.

Simply as an emotional response to the team's journey to the championship this is probably my favorite.

If you are talking about an emotional satisfaction, wouldn't the 1995 team be the top-rated? There's no better feeling that winning your first championship, even if you were one of the favorites to win it all.

 

[Suebird10fan]

Caliber of team by season's end:
2010
2002
2009
2013
2000
1995
2003
2004

 

[Suebird10fan]

Emotional satisfaction:
2000
2009
2013
1995
2004
2003
2002
2010

 

[cohenzone]

1995. First NC.Finish unbeaten, beat favored UT, and set the stage for what was to come.

2013. Probably the most unpredicted or expected and then the margins of victory were outrageous.

All of the others are tied for 3rd. They are each special.

 

[UConner]

had to take down Griner to make 2013 great. Louisville made it too easy

 

[FairView]

I think this is one of those questions that comes up when people have analyzed just about everything and there's nothing left. There are too many ways to rank, too many variables and too many subjective elements. Is the best team the most skilled? Is the best team the least skilled, but better because it overcame the odds? Was it the best games played in the tournament?

Does the ranking risk marginalizing the accomplishments of eight groups of women who achieved what no other team could during their slice of time? Is it kind of like trying to pick which one of your kids you like best?

Each team ended ranked number 1 and that's good enough for me.

 

[UConner]

I think this is one of those questions that comes up when people have analyzed just about everything and there's nothing left. There are too many ways to rank, too many variables and too many subjective elements. Is the best team the most skilled? Is the best team the least skilled, but better because it overcame the odds? Was it the best games played in the tournament?

Does the ranking risk marginalizing the accomplishments of eight groups of women who achieved what no other team could during their slice of time? Is it kind of like trying to pick which one of your kids you like best?

Each team ended ranked number 1 and that's good enough for me.

 

[UConner]

Totally reasonable and logical comment, except on The Boneyard where second guessing and unreasoned analysis is why we are here...

 

[Suebird10fan]

had to take down Griner to make 2013 great. Louisville made it too easy

No doubt beating Griner would have made 2013 #1 by a mile.

 

[intlzncster]

The best for me was Diana leading the musketeers back to back. All the defeating of TN during those years. God that was good. That was the height of WCBB for me. DT for Pope!

 

[rocky rococo]

By my emotional satisfaction?

1995
2002
2013
2000
2009
2003
2004
2010

 

[doggydaddy]

Best of the four games not against Tennessee.

 

[Lynx23]

No doubt beating Griner would have made 2013 #1 by a mile.

I would argue that beating Notre Dame was a more satisfying win than if we had played and beaten Baylor. Griner wasn't nearly the nemesis that Diggins was. Being real here, Baylor lost to Louisville, who UCONN beat by 33 points. Maybe Baylor wan't quite as good as they were hyped to be. I can't rank this one, but I love teams that win unexpectedly, just like the UCONN men a few years ago. As one of the announcers put it so succinctly, Redemption followed by Domination.

 

[Icebear]

If you are talking about an emotional satisfaction, wouldn't the 1995 team be the top-rated? There's no better feeling that winning your first championship, even if you were one of the favorites to win it all.

Probably, yes, but it is getting long in the tooth and harder to access all of the time. And I was living out of state and not contacted to a community sharing it in the same way.

 

[Icebear]

No doubt beating Griner would have made 2013 #1 by a mile.

I agree and is part of the reason I wanted to play them. If we had had the title run of Vandy, MD, Kentucky, ND and Baylor. That would have been amazing. As it is we have one idiot holding onto a pipe dream. That is why before the tournament when the brackets were announced I said, "Beat the best to be the best."

No argument, no debate you settled it on the court. I firmly believe that the team as it was playing in the tournament would beat Baylor by 10-15. But we will never know.

 

[DanDar]

...I said, "Beat the best to be the best."...But we will never know.

If Baylor was the best of the best they wouldn't have lost in the sweet 16. Baylor had major flaws. They relied on Griner to shut down the interior to improve their perimeter defense. What happened was that even with that crutch their perimeter defense allowed Louisville to make 16 threes.

You would think that after half-time trailing by 10 Baylor would go on the run and beat UL by at least 6 or 10, but that still didn't seem to wake them up and UL was up by as many as 19. Baylor was good, they just were not the best.

 

[Icebear]

If Baylor was the best of the best they wouldn't have lost in the sweet 16. Baylor had major flaws. They relied on Griner to shut down the interior to improve their perimeter defense. What happened was that even with that crutch their perimeter defense allowed Louisville to make 16 threes.

You would think that after half-time trailing by 10 Baylor would go on the run and beat UL by at least 6 or 10, but that still didn't seem to wake them up and UL was up by as many as 19. Baylor was good, they just were not the best.

I, absolutely, understand that and was one of the first to hold them accountable for their loss. Mental discipline failed them or arrogance, which I don't know.

I was thinking more of the opportunity to reverse the in season loss against the #1 seed overall.

 

[Ozzie Nelson]

My own take is the neither coach or team was prepared for serious challenge...Sims was marvelous, but it was individual play, not team adaptation. Having said that, they almost pulled it off.

 

[Wally East]

Emotional satisfaction:
1995, 2000, 2002, 2013, 2009, 2003, 2004, 2010

I was in Minneapolis with my soon-to-be wife. Nothing will compare to that win. 2000 was almost as amazing and meant UConn had taken that final step from perennial power to dynasty. 20002 was just so redemptive after 2001 (we drove home from St. Louis after that loss, we just couldn't bear it, and I don't regret that to this day). This was amazing because even late into the season, it felt like the path was blocked with two seemingly insurmountable obstacles.

Best team:
2002, 2009, 2000, 2010, 1995, 2013, 2003, 2004

2002 vs 2009 really is a toss-up but I'm giving it to 2002 because of Sue and D in the back court.

 

[baggerbob]

You badly beat the team everyone thought was 2nd best in the country with Stef at possibly 80%, this team in the Final Four found their swagger.