Will we break our 7-way tie for 10th

[Sphinx]

If you ask, "What constitutes a blue blood in college basketball?", perhaps the most obvious answer is the following list. It is a list of most Final Four appearances.
Note the names in the Top Five. Note the gap between their totals and everyone else's. Seems like consistency in reaching the Final Four, as much as the natty count, is a criterion for blue blood status.
.
Now note the 7-way tie for 10th. If there's a worthy goal this year short of a 6th natty, it would be a 7th FF. It would break the 10th place tie (or at least reduce it to UConn and Houston.) Importantly, it would separate us from the likes of Cincinnati and Syracuse, a necessary step, I would think, in the bluing of our blood..

1. No. Carolina........ 21
2. Kentucky............... 17
2. Duke....................... 17
2. UCLA...................... 17
5. Kansas................... 16

6. Ohio State............ 10
7. Mich State............ 10
8. Indiana................... 8
8. Louisville................ 8

10. UConn................... 6
10. Cincinnati............. 6
10. Houston................ 6
10. Michigan............... 6
10. Okla State.............. 6
10. Syracuse ............... 6
10. Arkansas................ 6

 

[Palatine]

We're a lot closer to that list than you think. We have made six trips to the Elite 8. We were knocking on the door to the FF in 64, 90, 95, 98, 02 and 06. That's nothing to sneeze at.

 

[aburks41]

Bragging about Final Fours is for those who can't convert those to National Championships.

I'm a Pats fan, we don't talk about winning the AFC Championship a billion times. We talk about winning Super Bowls.

 

[Sphinx]

We're a lot closer to that list than you think. We have made six trips to the Elite 8. We were knocking on the door to the FF in 64, 90, 95, 98, 02 and 06. That's nothing to sneeze at.

No achoo intended.. I'm well aware of the record. Also well aware of how many times in Elite Eights and Sweet Sixteens we've been asked to play in the other team's backyard.

 

[gtcam]

5 NCs are enough to qualify
No need to dig any further
It's the gold at the end of the road that counts, not how many times you've been an also-ran

 

[pepband99]

The elephant in the living room is the number of final 4s that were accumulated in much smaller tournaments. It's really only a relevant stat since the multi-bid per league era began.

 

[bendm]

If you ask, "What constitutes a blue blood in college basketball?", perhaps the most obvious answer is the following list. It is a list of most Final Four appearances.

the most obvious answer is the list of most CHAMPIONSHIPS

 

[temery]

Not if UConn and three of the other 10th place teams all make the final four this years.

 

[Deleted at users request]

Look at all those 1st place losers. Cant relate.

Took an injury just for us to actually lose in a FF.

 

[bendm]

most final fours since 1975 when the tourney expanded to 32:

15- unc
14- duke
11- uk
10- ku
9- msu
8- lville/ucla
6- UConn/michigan/Cuse

 

[Sphinx]

Bragging about Final Fours is for those who can't convert those to National Championships.

I'm a Pats fan, we don't talk about winning the AFC Championship a billion times. We talk about winning Super Bowls.

Yes, all or nothing, a common philosophy, guaranteed to yield the least satisfaction possible out of any endeavor.

 

[Sphinx]

5 NCs are enough to qualify
No need to dig any further
It's the gold at the end of the road that counts, not how many times you've been an also-ran

I once put it this way, "It is for people who would gladly settle for second that there are third place prizes." You are welcome to quote.

 

[bendm]

Yes, all or nothing, a common philosophy, guaranteed to yield the least satisfaction possible out of any endeavor.

or the most satisfaction, 5 times in 25 years, if you're UConn

 

[7774]

Yes, all or nothing, a common philosophy, guaranteed to yield the least satisfaction possible out of any endeavor.

It’s so dumb, but that’s the board at this point.

 

[superjohn]

If you ask, "What constitutes a blue blood in college basketball?", perhaps the most obvious answer is the following list. It is a list of most Final Four appearances.
Note the names in the Top Five. Note the gap between their totals and everyone else's. Seems like consistency in reaching the Final Four, as much as the natty count, is a criterion for blue blood status.
.
Now note the 7-way tie for 10th. If there's a worthy goal this year short of a 6th natty, it would be a 7th FF. It would break the 10th place tie (or at least reduce it to UConn and Houston.) Importantly, it would separate us from the likes of Cincinnati and Syracuse, a necessary step, I would think, in the bluing of our blood..

1. No. Carolina........ 21
2. Kentucky............... 17
2. Duke....................... 17
2. UCLA...................... 17
5. Kansas................... 16

6. Ohio State............ 10
7. Mich State............ 10
8. Indiana................... 8
8. Louisville................ 8

10. UConn................... 6
10. Cincinnati............. 6
10. Houston................ 6
10. Michigan............... 6
10. Okla State.............. 6
10. Syracuse ............... 6
10. Arkansas................ 6

This is all wrong. If you don't think UConn has long ago separated themselves from Houston, Cincinnati, Syracuse or any of those other programs I don't know what to tell you.

UConn has long since separated themselves from Louisville and Michigan State. Those other programs you named would be lucky to be the dog s^^t on the heel of our shoe.

 

[Waquoit]

Bragging about Final Fours is for those who can't convert those to National Championships.

No, it isn't. Al McGuire was right, making the Final Four is a big deal.

 

[Sphinx]

This is all wrong. If you don't think UConn has long ago separated themselves from Houston, Cincinnati, Syracuse or any of those other programs I don't know what to tell you.

UConn has long since separated themselves from Louisville and Michigan State. Those other programs you named would be lucky to be the dog s^^t on the heel of our shoe.

Yes, yes, I know, but the point I foolishly tried to make is that if you cite the 4 or 5 teams that the college basketball world unanimously agrees are "blue bloods", it is an exact overlay of the teams that have won the most Final Fours. It's a fact, and I do believe it suggests that reaching the Final Four is itself an important (and banner-raising) achievement. It is, btw, a championship.

 

[bballerct50]

Don’t ban me for saying this. We aren’t yet a Blue Blood. A Blue Blood is about 3 pillars: Success, Consistency, Legacy/Prestige.

When you have all four, your hall of fame coach can depart, and the media still loves you. Top 20 recruits are still dying to join. Nothing misses a beat.

We have success. No doubt. We need to be more consistent (like the subject of the thread). And we need younger alum to succeed in the NBA and build back up our legacy/prestige.

Don’t get me wrong. We are super close.

 

[Waquoit]

Ban this guy!

 

[AllHusky]

No, it isn't. Al McGuire was right, making the Final Four is a big deal.

Sure it is, it is a step on the ladder to a NC. You can't get one without the other. The ultimate prize is what should be celebrated though, ultimately. If you can't point to success in the NC, you point to "Almost". Remember how Calhoun was pilloried in the 90's until he won his first NC? Up until that point we celebrated "almost", since then, nothing suffices except the last step. Much harder and much sweeter.

 

[Duncan Idaho]

Even though the titles trumps a lot, those schools that appear ahead of us on the OP's list all have more, many a lot more weeks in the in the AP poll and there maybe something to be said of being in the public awareness that lends to perception.

 

[Waquoit]

Remember how Calhoun was pilloried in the 90's until he won his first NC?

No, I do not. I do remember Calhoun was pilloried for not making the Final Four. Especially by Mike Francesa.

 

[7774]

Sure it is, it is a step on the ladder to a NC. You can't get one without the other. The ultimate prize is what should be celebrated though, ultimately. If you can't point to success in the NC, you point to "Almost". Remember how Calhoun was pilloried in the 90's until he won his first NC? Up until that point we celebrated "almost", since then, nothing suffices except the last step. Much harder and much sweeter.

It was actually more about him not making the Final Four.

 

[bendm]

Yes, yes, I know, but the point I foolishly tried to make is that if you cite the 4 or 5 teams that the college basketball world unanimously agrees are "blue bloods", it is an exact overlay of the teams that have won the most Final Fours. It's a fact, and I do believe it suggests that reaching the Final Four is itself an important (and banner-raising) achievement. It is, btw, a championship.

but it's not just b/c of final fours. they are the same top 4 when you take all the tourney performance indicators into account. and UConn is fifth. need to have won a chip to qualify and the increasing values are based on the Fibonacci sequence:

Rank (since 1975)	Team	Bids	X1	Sweet 16	X2	Elite 8	X3	Final 4	X5	Finals	X8	Champ	X13	Total
1	UNC	44	44	30	60	22	66	15	75	9	72	5	65	382
2	Duke	40	40	28	56	19	57	14	70	10	80	5	65	368
3	Kentucky	40	40	29	58	22	56	11	55	7	56	4	52	317
4	Kansas	41	41	24	48	16	48	10	50	6	48	3	39	274
5	UConn	25	25	16	32	11	33	6	30	5	40	5	65	225
6	Louisville	35	35	21	42	12	36	8	40	3	24	3	39	216
7	UCLA	37	37	23	46	11	33	8	40	4	32	2	26	214
8	MSU	34	34	19	38	12	36	9	45	3	24	2	26	203
9	Indiana	39	39	18	36	8	24	5	25	4	32	3	39	195
10	Villanova	31	31	13	26	10	30	5	25	3	24	3	39	175
10	Michigan	26	26	14	28	10	30	6	30	6	48	1	13	175
12	Syracuse	37	37	21	42	8	24	6	30	3	24	1	13	170
13	Arizona	36	36	19	38	11	33	4	20	2	16	1	13	156
14	Florida	23	23	11	22	9	27	5	25	3	24	2	26	147
15	Georgetown	30	30	11	22	8	24	4	20	3	24	1	13	133
16	Arkansas	31	31	13	26	8	24	4	20	2	16	1	13	130
17	Virginia	25	25	10	20	7	21	4	20	1	8	1	13	107
18	UNLV	20	20	10	20	5	15	4	20	1	8	1	13	96
19	Marquette	26	26	8	16	4	12	2	10	2	16	1	13	93
20	NC State	20	20	7	14	3	9	1	5	1	8	1	13	69
21	Baylor	12	12	5	10	3	9	1	5	1	8	1	13	57

 

[Palatine]

most final fours since 1975 when the tourney expanded to 32:

15- unc
14- duke
11- uk
10- ku
9- msu
8- lville/ucla
6- UConn/michigan/Cuse

And UNC has played 69 tournament games in North Carolina venues. Home cooking helps. It cause/effect.

 

[IndyLives]

We have the highest winning percentage in Final Four history (for teams who have been more than once) at 91% (10-1). Thats the definition of Blue Blood - beat the best when everything is on the line.

 

[HooperScooper]

most final fours since 1975 when the tourney expanded to 32:

15- unc
14- duke
11- uk
10- ku
9- msu
8- lville/ucla
6- UConn/michigan/Cuse

I don't care much about this entire discussion, but I am curious what this list looks like since 1985, when the NCAA Tournament went to 64 teams.

 

[Waquoit]

I don't care much about this entire discussion, but I am curious what this list looks like since 1985, when the NCAA Tournament went to 64 teams.

UCLA is no blue blood. When they had that streak, they used to play the West Regional on campus.

 

[FfldCntyFan]

And UNC has played 69 tournament games in North Carolina venues. Home cooking helps. It cause/effect.

Duke is only a handful of games behind UNC in Carolina.