Who We Want to Win (Besides Us, Of Course)

[Tenspro2002]

Now that the field is down to 16, we can consider who else we could tolerate winning the championship if the unthinkable happens. My list:

1. Houston - Sampson is due and their success doesn't threaten us
2. Purdue - feel like Painter deserves it, ditto
3. Arizona - good program, no hard feelings, still not at our level even if they win
4. Nebraska - would be a great story if they get there
5. Iowa State - good program, would be nice to get some new blood in the champion ranks
6. Iowa - for the WTF factor
7. Texas - see Iowa, but more extreme; don't care for the Longhorns, but amusing for an 11 seed and a First Four participant to win it
8. Illinois - fine
9. Alabama - I like Oats, but can't stand the SEC
10. Tennessee - See above
11. Michigan - Something about them rubs me the wrong way
12. Michigan State - Izzo is a good coach but has gotten a bit overrated and full of himself, don't want any excuse to dilute the "blue blood" conversation
13. Arkansas - can't root for Squid under any circumstances, but not as much animosity for the program
14. St. John's - I root for BE success, but Pitino and these fans would be absolutely insufferable
15. Duke - beyond the usual, can't have them tie us in titles

 

[Inyatkin]

Feels wrong to do one of these when we're in it.

 

[navery12]

I legitimately do not care who wins if we don't. UConn or nobody

 

[Scrutineer]

We're living the future here. All teams from P5.

 

[BGesus4]

If UConn doesn’t win I’m rooting for the tournament to be canceled

 

[Mr. French]

I appreciate this. Might be bad mojo. But I can understand it.

I wish Michigan won with Beilein and I hate that they’re almost all transfers but I don’t hate them. I like Arizona and always have. Since Stoudamire and Reeves. I would be happy for Sampson. I would be happy for Painter. I would be happy for Oats but I don’t want to root for Bama.

I don’t want any of the randos to go all the way, like Iowa or TX or Nebraska.

I absolutely have Sparty, Arkansas, Duke, Johnnie’s at the very bottom.

 

[RuffRuff]

I legitimately do not care who wins if we don't. UConn or nobody

You are staunch.

I would 100% pull for StJ next. Then I'll take any cinderella type team (Texas, Iowa, Nebraska). Other blue bloods last, Duke dead last.

I would like to see some of the great matchups.

Houston/Illinois is really intriguing. Can't help but want to see Michigan vs Zona.

 

[Fishy]

I want everyone to lose and to the extent that is not possible, I want whoever wins to win poorly and with great controversy.

 

[Henry]

If it's not UConn, then I don't really care who wins........as long as it's not one of the usual suspects

 

[StllH8L8ner]

If we’re out, it becomes transfer portal rumor and baseball season.

 

[jleves]

Now that the field is down to 16, we can consider who else we could tolerate winning the championship if the unthinkable happens. My list:

1. Houston - Sampson is due and their success doesn't threaten us
2. Purdue - feel like Painter deserves it, ditto
3. Arizona - good program, no hard feelings, still not at our level even if they win
4. Nebraska - would be a great story if they get there
5. Iowa State - good program, would be nice to get some new blood in the champion ranks
6. Iowa - for the WTF factor
7. Texas - see Iowa, but more extreme; don't care for the Longhorns, but amusing for an 11 seed and a First Four participant to win it
8. Illinois - fine
9. Alabama - I like Oats, but can't stand the SEC
10. Tennessee - See above
11. Michigan - Something about them rubs me the wrong way
12. Michigan State - Izzo is a good coach but has gotten a bit overrated and full of himself, don't want any excuse to dilute the "blue blood" conversation
13. Arkansas - can't root for Squid under any circumstances, but not as much animosity for the program
14. St. John's - I root for BE success, but Pitino and these fans would be absolutely insufferable
15. Duke - beyond the usual, can't have them tie us in titles

Well if you wanted to hang someone....

What horrible mojo.

 

[Scrappy3]

UConn or bust

 

[superjohn]

I despise Duke and Michigan which means one of them will probably win it.

 

[WeAreUCONN]

Definitively Duke. Need a heavyweight showdown in the Elite 8. The Blue Bood vs The New Blood. Battle Royale.

 

[YearoftheHusky]

Such a weird topic. This shouldn’t be a discussion we we are still alive. But also not Duke or STJ.

 

[Horatio]

Devry or Apex Tech

 

[bendm]

If you care that UConn’s 6 titles are tied for 3rd most all time, which everyone does because titles are how you measure the relative success of a program, then you can’t not care if Duke wins their 6th and ties us.

So anyone but Duke. And among the most likely (top 2 seeds) I’d prefer Houston or Zona or Purdue.

 

[bendm]

UConn has more titles than every other school in the sweet 16 combined (5), not including Duke

 

[storrsroars]

Not StJ. They earn us $$ up until getting in the NC. But there's no extra $$ for us if they win, so screw 'em.

So my ideal final would be StJ v Nebraska, with the Fighting Hoibergs winning. Always liked Fred as a coach, it's a great story, and their fans are ridiculously supportive.

I suppose I can tolerate Arizona winning. But that's about it.

 

[FightOnCT]

If we lose, cancel the tourney.

Duke has to be last not just because it’s Duke, but to prolong the bit of them failing for the 11th year in a row

 

[nelsonmuntz]

Now that the field is down to 16, we can consider who else we could tolerate winning the championship if the unthinkable happens. My list:

1. Houston - Sampson is due and their success doesn't threaten us
2. Purdue - feel like Painter deserves it, ditto
3. Arizona - good program, no hard feelings, still not at our level even if they win
4. Nebraska - would be a great story if they get there
5. Iowa State - good program, would be nice to get some new blood in the champion ranks
6. Iowa - for the WTF factor
7. Texas - see Iowa, but more extreme; don't care for the Longhorns, but amusing for an 11 seed and a First Four participant to win it
8. Illinois - fine
9. Alabama - I like Oats, but can't stand the SEC
10. Tennessee - See above
11. Michigan - Something about them rubs me the wrong way
12. Michigan State - Izzo is a good coach but has gotten a bit overrated and full of himself, don't want any excuse to dilute the "blue blood" conversation
13. Arkansas - can't root for Squid under any circumstances, but not as much animosity for the program
14. St. John's - I root for BE success, but Pitino and these fans would be absolutely insufferable
15. Duke - beyond the usual, can't have them tie us in titles

Of course we want St. John’s to win if we don’t. A St. John’s championship would be good for the league and good for NY basketball, which is good for us.

Pitino will get most of the credit for the title, as opposed to the school, and he is an old man who will be retiring soon, so it’s not like St. John’s becomes a real threat to us long term in the league. Actually, I think it is 50/50 that Pitino retires if he wins a title.

Finally, St. John’s beating Duke, especially if they beat Duke badly, highlights the ACC decline in basketball with some of their coaching retirements. Likewise, I wouldn’t mind the Big 12 and SEC schools getting knocked out soon too. 3 Big 10 schools and a Big East school is the best outcome for us in conference realignment. The leagues most likely to add UConn, the ACC and Big 12, need a reason, and for us, that reason is basketball..

 

[Tenspro2002]

Of course we want St. John’s to win if we don’t. A St. John’s championship would be good for the league and good for NY basketball, which is good for us.

Pitino will get most of the credit for the title, as opposed to the school, and he is an old man who will be retiring soon, so it’s not like St. John’s becomes a real threat to us long term in the league. Actually, I think it is 50/50 that Pitino retires if he wins a title.

Finally, St. John’s beating Duke, especially if they beat Duke badly, highlights the ACC decline in basketball with some of their coaching retirements. Likewise, I wouldn’t mind the Big 12 and SEC schools getting knocked out soon too. 3 Big 10 schools and a Big East school is the best outcome for us in conference realignment. The leagues most likely to add UConn, the ACC and Big 12, need a reason, and for us, that reason is basketball..

I want St. John's to beat duke, and if we don't make the Final Four, I want St. John's to win the region, but that's the end of it.

 

[JRDBWK]

I am always going to root for a big east school,

 

[nelsonmuntz]

@John thinks that the Big East doing worse will help UConn. He has never explained his logic.

 

[KingAG]

St Johns fans if they won a title would be insufferable. I'd rather not deal with that. Never Duke. We can still make sure neither of those happen.

 

[John]

@John thinks that the Big East doing worse will help UConn. He has never explained his logic.

Thanks Val, the $1.50 hot dogs at Costco are available all day. Don’t forget the free soda.

 

[rrskyjf]

funny thing is that other top programs do this same thing, wondering who they would like to win if their team doesn't.

 

[Hoophound]

St Johns fans if they won a title would be insufferable. I'd rather not deal with that. Never Duke. We can still make sure neither of those happen.

Who cares? The winner’s fans are always insufferable.

 

[6in25]

I would have expected this thread from Deepster. This is like the anti-haiku 😆

 

[Spaceman213J]

If UConn gets bounced out, then I quickly will be more of a anybody but Duke and Arkansas guy.

I then would root for Tennessee because Troy (Henderson) played 3 years for the high school in the school system where I teach and led them to 2 state titles. He only transferred when his dad took a coaching job at another school and moved the family. He doesn't play much, but did hit some key shots including the go ahead 3 in a game against Texas A&M (I think) in overtime.