One of the Ugliest Final 4's Ever, Possibly?

• cats gone wild

  If Baylor and Tennessee win tonight, this could be one of the ugliest group of 4 teams ever in the Final 4.
  
  You would have
  (6) Tenn vs. (5) Butler,,,, Neither have been in Final 4
  (2) WVU vs. (3) Baylor,,,,, WVU hasnt made it in over 50 years probably and Baylor, I dont know their history.
  
  Its hard to believe that these 4 teams can "maybe" be in the final 4. Who would of thunk it?
• hoops23

  

  Ok.... So what's ugly about it?
  
  IMO, I think it's great for the sport. This is showing that CBB is more than the traditional powers. In fact, I love the Butler story as well as the unheralded story of Baylor..
  
  I mean seriously, Baylor has been through A LOT in recent years, so this could be HUGE...
  
  WVU, though they haven't made it in 50 years, is still a legit team. In fact, the four teams that survive and make it to the final four (Butler and WVU already there) deserve every bit of it in this crazy tourney.
  
  Stop being butt hurt about UK losing to WVU... (I told you they would anyway)
• royal_k

  

  It would be anything, BUT ugly.
  
  In fact, I find it quite exciting.
• vball10set

  beauty's in the eye of the beholder---this is what the Madness is all about--I love it!!!
• ernest_t_bass

  

  Stupid thread. It's ugly because the "Powers that Be" gave them those seeds. Butler was in the Top 10, and they get a 5 seed? Doesn't make sense. I don't fill out a bracket (#1 b/c I suck at it) but also b/c I don't know enough about the teams, and I try to base everything on the useless seeds. I honestly hope that NO #1 seeds make it, just to show how meaningless a seed is.
• se-alum

  

  It will be bad for CBS, but interesting for real b-ball fans.
• visionquest

  I just think it's indicative of the game now. As it says in another thread, someone should take notice of the fact that these teams got there because of the way they play(ie: a team game) instead of a great player carrying a team for instance.
• lhslep134

  

  The only thing ugly was the Wildcat's shooting.
  
  They were the most talented and athletic team in the entire field, and FUCK how did they lose?
  
  I'm not hating, I'm just upset because at the beginning of the year I made a 20-1 bet with my friend, I took Kentucky he took the field, and I really thought the way they were playing leading up to the WVU game no team in the field could beat them but themselves.
  
  I think interesting is a better term to use than ugly.
• centralbucksfan

  lhslep134 wrote: The only thing ugly was the Wildcat's shooting.
  
  They were the most talented and athletic team in the entire field, and FUCK how did they lose?
  
  I'm not hating, I'm just upset because at the beginning of the year I made a 20-1 bet with my friend, I took Kentucky he took the field, and I really thought the way they were playing leading up to the WVU game no team in the field could beat them but themselves.
  
  I think interesting is a better term to use than ugly.

  How did they lose? Coaching. They shot 30 freaking 3's on the game. THis when quite frankly, they are not a good 3 shooting team. With the size and athletes...you can't settle for that many outside shots.
  On top of that, typical Cal team.....can't shoot FT's. ITs done him in before at Memphis.
  KY and Cal played right into Huggins game plan.
  As for being "ugly final" four....not at all. Its pretty cool actually. Parity in colllege basketball is at an all time high. And it makes
• GOONx19

  

  cats gone wild wrote: If Baylor and Tennessee win tonight, this could be one of the ugliest group of 4 teams ever in the Final 4.
  
  You would have
  (6) Tenn vs. (5) Butler,,,, Neither have been in Final 4
  (2) WVU vs. (3) Baylor,,,,, WVU hasnt made it in over 50 years probably and Baylor, I dont know their history.
  
  Its hard to believe that these 4 teams can "maybe" be in the final 4. Who would of thunk it?

  I'm pretty sure this was Baylor's first Sweet 16.
• mallymal614

  se-alum wrote: It will be bad for CBS, but interesting for real b-ball fans.

  This
  
  Mid-Majors and non-traditional powers are a joy to watch early in the tournaments but when its all said and done, people want to see the big boys in the final four. George Mason was a prime example of that a few years ago. They were the talk of the town, but the minute they actually made the final four, CBS ratings dropped.
• devil1197

  mallymal614 wrote:

  se-alum wrote: It will be bad for CBS, but interesting for real b-ball fans.

  This
  
  Mid-Majors and non-traditional powers are a joy to watch early in the tournaments but when its all said and done, people want to see the big boys in the final four. George Mason was a prime example of that a few years ago. They were the talk of the town, but the minute they actually made the final four, CBS ratings dropped.

  Butler isn't even close to George Mason. Butler has been solid for years but now their finally putting the whole thing together.
  
  I don't think the ratings will drop for this Final Four.
• mallymal614

  devil1197 wrote:

  mallymal614 wrote:

  se-alum wrote: It will be bad for CBS, but interesting for real b-ball fans.

  This
  
  Mid-Majors and non-traditional powers are a joy to watch early in the tournaments but when its all said and done, people want to see the big boys in the final four. George Mason was a prime example of that a few years ago. They were the talk of the town, but the minute they actually made the final four, CBS ratings dropped.

  Butler isn't even close to George Mason. Butler has been solid for years but now their finally putting the whole thing together.
  
  I don't think the ratings will drop for this Final Four.

  True. But they aren't a traditional power. Neither is Tennessee. But the story line of Butler playing in their hometown could save the ratings.
• se-alum

  

  mallymal614 wrote:

  devil1197 wrote:

  mallymal614 wrote:

  se-alum wrote: It will be bad for CBS, but interesting for real b-ball fans.

  This
  
  Mid-Majors and non-traditional powers are a joy to watch early in the tournaments but when its all said and done, people want to see the big boys in the final four. George Mason was a prime example of that a few years ago. They were the talk of the town, but the minute they actually made the final four, CBS ratings dropped.

  Butler isn't even close to George Mason. Butler has been solid for years but now their finally putting the whole thing together.
  
  I don't think the ratings will drop for this Final Four.

  True. But they aren't a traditional power. Neither is Tennessee. But the story line of Butler playing in their hometown could save the ratings.

  I just think to have the big ratings, you need games between traditional powers, or games w/ a David vs. Goliath feel to them. If Baylor beats Duke, you'll get neither of those scenarios. You'll have 2 games between teams that nobody really cares one way or the other about.
• Laley23

  

  Ratings will drop big time if Baylor wins. Even MSU wont save them. Ratings follow the big names, whether they are players or teams. We wont have that in this FF. The collage basketball fans will watch, and love it. But the people that tune it because of the hype of the game (Saints vs Colts) wont because the hype just wont be there.
• reclegend22

  

  Um, no.
  
  Even if Duke doesn't reach it, it will be beautiful in my eyes. (Although I'll want to puke seeing Baylor in it.)
  
  Butler is a modern day Hoosiers even if its team couldn't be further from a cinderella. The hometown team reaching its first Final Four and playing to win it all for all the little guys who never had the chance. It's a storybook situation.
  
  Bob Huggins looking to bring home a title to West Virginia, his alma-mater. He's never won the whole thing and his last Final Four was in 1992 with Cincy. Huggins is probably the best active coach to never win a title. After seeing the emotion he displayed upon winning the Big East Tournament title and how much it meant to him for the state of West Virginia to reach this point, a place its hasn't been since Jerry West was still raining jumpers in Morgantown, this is a great, great story.
  
  If Tennessee gets in, it's another story of a team that has never reached the Show. A team that had never reached beyond the Sweet 16 in the history of the program before this year.
  
  If Duke gets in, you have Huggins vs. K, a match-up of coaching giants, and a rematch of the 2008 NCAA second round. A lot of the same players are on both sides and they will be out to make a statement and reach Monday night.
  
  If Baylor gets in, eh, that will be an awful one. But, since I see them getting in, I guess I'll have to live with it. I know they had a murder and everything, but there's something about Scott Drew that I don't like. I don't know why. Loved Bryce, though. There's no denying the fact that it would be a great thing for the school.
  
  But even if Baylor does get in, this Duke fan can't deny the fact that Butler's story alone makes this Final Four one for the ages.
• vball10set

  centralbucksfan wrote: [ Parity in colllege basketball is at an all time high. And it makes

  "and it makes" what?
• Prescott

  If Baylor gets into the Final Four Scott Drew should be coach of the year. This team was picked to finish 10th in the Big 12. Helluva job, just qualifying for the tournament.
• centralbucksfan

  Laley23 wrote: Ratings will drop big time if Baylor wins. Even MSU wont save them. Ratings follow the big names, whether they are players or teams. We wont have that in this FF. The collage basketball fans will watch, and love it. But the people that tune it because of the hype of the game (Saints vs Colts) wont because the hype just wont be there.

  Agree. In any sport, the general public want to see the BEST play vs the BEST. What that doesn't happen, ratings are almost always lower across the board in every sport. The common sports minded person will always be there to watch. Those who would jump on the wagon to see a "great matchup", won't be tuning in.
• Cleveland Buck

  

  I will watch the Final Four. I will still be bitter about Ohio State's performance, but I will still enjoy it. The ratings argument is valid though. This is why you will never see a tournament like this in football. Would the average viewer rather tune in to watch Alabama vs. Texas, or a tournament where Boise State ends up playing Iowa for the national title?
• vball10set

  centralbucksfan wrote:

  lhslep134 wrote: The only thing ugly was the Wildcat's shooting.
  
  They were the most talented and athletic team in the entire field, and FUCK how did they lose?
  
  I'm not hating, I'm just upset because at the beginning of the year I made a 20-1 bet with my friend, I took Kentucky he took the field, and I really thought the way they were playing leading up to the WVU game no team in the field could beat them but themselves.
  
  I think interesting is a better term to use than ugly.

  How did they lose? Coaching. They shot 30 freaking 3's on the game. THis when quite frankly, they are not a good 3 shooting team. With the size and athletes...you can't settle for that many outside shots.
  On top of that, typical Cal team.....can't shoot FT's. ITs done him in before at Memphis.
  KY and Cal played right into Huggins game plan.
  As for being "ugly final" four....not at all. Its pretty cool actually. Parity in colllege basketball is at an all time high. And it makes

  cbf--finish your thought...
• cats gone wild

  Well, at least we got one common name in the Final 4.
• NOL fan

  GOONx19 wrote: I'm pretty sure this was Baylor's first Sweet 16.

  it was, though they do have 2 final fours and a runner up
  
  (when the entire tournament was 8 teams)
• Cleveland Buck

  

  At least the Butler/Michigan State game was a good game.