NCAA tourney vs. SEC tourney

[OWB]

I'd rather them win the SEC Tournament. Our chances of going to the final four are pretty slim, I think the highest we can go is the Sweet 16 and that's pushing it a bit. So with that in mind, the tournament would be more important.

I've already read some of Pearl's quotes and he is implying that they want to the SECT as well.

 

[hatvol96]

We haven't won an SEC Championship since 1979. Thats a trophy and a banner to hang and show recruits. The Final Four is big, however, it is forgettable. People already have a hard time remembering the Final Four from last year, let alone 2 and 3 years ago.

Don't get me wrong about this though, I would rather have a National Championship than an SEC Championship.

A recruit outside the South doesn't give a flip about who wins the SEC Tournament. If you have trouble remembering who the Final Four were last year, you're not really a basketball fan. Ask the Mississippi State fans what they remember about '96, the SEC Tournament or making the Final Four.

 

[lawgator1]

A recruit outside the South doesn't give a flip about who wins the SEC Tournament. If you have trouble remembering who the Final Four were last year, you're not really a basketball fan. Ask the Mississippi State fans what they remember about '96, the SEC Tournament or making the Final Four.

I believe Florida won the SEC tournament last year and were one and out in the NCAA. No one talks about the SEC tournament. It means very little. Sweet Sixteen is where its at. Past that its all gravy.

 

[bizzllama]

I'd rather win the SEC than get to the Sweet 16, or even the Final Four... years down the road this team deserves to be called "Champions" otherwise people will quickly forget them. Which do you care more about the SEC Champions from 5 years ago, or the Final Four????

It would be great to win the SEC but if we want national prominance were gonna have to get to the the elite 8 or Final Four.

 

[jakez4ut]

Being from Memphis, i can remember when the Tigers made that run to the Final Four in the early 80's...and so do Tiger fans....they hung on to that for a long, long time....Keith Lee and Andre Turner are still highly thought of....

 

[hatvol96]

I believe Florida won the SEC tournament last year and were one and out in the NCAA. No one talks about the SEC tournament. It means very little. Sweet Sixteen is where its at. Past that its all gravy.

The SEC Tournament only matters if it is your only way to get a bid after a mediocre regular season, see Arkansas in '00.

 

[GVF]

Nice thread, and good points all around. I just don't think you go into reserve mode to save up for a tourney run. You have to stay on top of your game. If you are final four material or elite 8 or sweet 16, you will get there.

 

[vader]

I say play to win every time you hit the court. I vote we win the SEC tourney AND go to the sweet 16. :dance2:

 

[tidwell]

I believe Florida won the SEC tournament last year and were one and out in the NCAA. No one talks about the SEC tournament. It means very little. Sweet Sixteen is where its at. Past that its all gravy.

Don't be so hard on yourself, ya'll made it to the second round before you got upset last year. The year before last was when you succumbed to the fierce Manhattans and bowed out in the first round.

 

[OrangeUAVol?]

Cons:
More time for others to get arrested and miss the NCAA

lol:

I think you play to win and take that momentum into the NCAA Tourney. However, I'll be a nervous wreck every time one of our main 5 or 6 takes a little too long pulling himself off the floor... an injury would certainly crush our shot at getting anywhere in the big dance! :cry:

 

[therealUT]

A recruit outside the South doesn't give a flip about who wins the SEC Tournament. If you have trouble remembering who the Final Four were last year, you're not really a basketball fan. Ask the Mississippi State fans what they remember about '96, the SEC Tournament or making the Final Four.

Maybe a recruit outside the South doesn't give a flip about who wins the SEC Tourney because the SEC is a football conference, not a basketball conference. From living in the midwest and the northeast, I will tell you that the teams in the Big 12, Big 10, and Big East place a lot more emphasis on championships than on Final Four appearances with nothing to show afterwards...that is why Mike Davis is on his way out, 1 Final Four appearances in 6 years, 0 outright Big Ten Championships...

Conference championships mean a lot to basketball schools

 

[hatvol96]

Maybe a recruit outside the South doesn't give a flip about who wins the SEC Tourney because the SEC is a football conference, not a basketball conference. From living in the midwest and the northeast, I will tell you that the teams in the Big 12, Big 10, and Big East place a lot more emphasis on championships than on Final Four appearances with nothing to show afterwards...that is why Mike Davis is on his way out, 1 Final Four appearances in 6 years, 0 outright Big Ten Championships...

Conference championships mean a lot to basketball schools

I think completely missing the NCAA tournament the last two years had more to do with Davis' demise than a lack of conference championships. I live in New York. Was at the Garden yesterday. ALL anyone was talking about was NCAA seedings and bubble teams. The conference tournaments are the appetizers, not the main course. If the Big 12 tournament is such a big deal, why do they have trouble selling it out? Ask the Kansas fans how much they care about all those conference tournaments Roy Williams won compared to how much they love the two Final Fours and one Championship Larry Brown delivered. Ask Cincinnati fans how much they care about all the Great Midwest and C-USA titles compared to how much they love the Van Exel driven Final Four berth in '92. If conference championships mean so much to "basketball schools," why are the Kentucky fans all over Tubby for not reaching the Final Four since '98? He's dominated the SEC in that time frame. Ask Purdue fans if they'd trade all those Big 10 titles for one Gene Keady Final Four trip. Jin Calhoun specifically states that UCONN's goal is success in the NCAAs, not the Big East tournament.

 

[milohimself]

^ Exactly. You can win all the conference tournaments you want, but if you don't have anything to show for it in the NCAA Tournament, it amounts to jack. Conference titles are just not that important in college basketball.

 

[ukvols]

Nice thread, and good points all around. I just don't think you go into reserve mode to save up for a tourney run. You have to stay on top of your game. If you are final four material or elite 8 or sweet 16, you will get there.

I agree. If the Vols win the SECs and play on Thursday in the NCAAs, that still leaves four days in between games. That should be enough. I do, however, agree that the NCAAs are a lot more important. The SEC tournament is one week after the regular season ends and one week before the NCAAs begin. That said, I still hope to be in Nashville on Saturday.

 

[emainvol]

i hope we just catch an easy road to the sec tourney championship and then rock it all the way to the nat'l title, then again i also hope a scantily clad kiera knightley mosies on into my room tonight

 

[hmanvolfan]

I think completely missing the NCAA tournament the last two years had more to do with Davis' demise than a lack of conference championships. I live in New York. Was at the Garden yesterday. ALL anyone was talking about was NCAA seedings and bubble teams. The conference tournaments are the appetizers, not the main course. If the Big 12 tournament is such a big deal, why do they have trouble selling it out? Ask the Kansas fans how much they care about all those conference tournaments Roy Williams won compared to how much they love the two Final Fours and one Championship Larry Brown delivered. Ask Cincinnati fans how much they care about all the Great Midwest and C-USA titles compared to how much they love the Van Exel driven Final Four berth in '92. If conference championships mean so much to "basketball schools," why are the Kentucky fans all over Tubby for not reaching the Final Four since '98? He's dominated the SEC in that time frame. Ask Purdue fans if they'd trade all those Big 10 titles for one Gene Keady Final Four trip. Jin Calhoun specifically states that UCONN's goal is success in the NCAAs, not the Big East tournament.

How can a guy from, as they say in the Paces picante sauce commercials, New York City know so much about sports? Just kiddin' hat. You are exactly right. Winning the SEC tournament would be great but the Final Four would make that accomplishment pale by comparison!

 

[therealUT]

I think completely missing the NCAA tournament the last two years had more to do with Davis' demise than a lack of conference championships. I live in New York. Was at the Garden yesterday. ALL anyone was talking about was NCAA seedings and bubble teams. The conference tournaments are the appetizers, not the main course. If the Big 12 tournament is such a big deal, why do they have trouble selling it out? Ask the Kansas fans how much they care about all those conference tournaments Roy Williams won compared to how much they love the two Final Fours and one Championship Larry Brown delivered. Ask Cincinnati fans how much they care about all the Great Midwest and C-USA titles compared to how much they love the Van Exel driven Final Four berth in '92. If conference championships mean so much to "basketball schools," why are the Kentucky fans all over Tubby for not reaching the Final Four since '98? He's dominated the SEC in that time frame. Ask Purdue fans if they'd trade all those Big 10 titles for one Gene Keady Final Four trip. Jin Calhoun specifically states that UCONN's goal is success in the NCAAs, not the Big East tournament.

First, Jayhawk fans didn't hold a weeklong vigil to keep Larry Brown around, like they did twice to try and keep Roy. Second, I stated that National Championships are more important than conference championships, however, Final Fours aren't. Last, Bobby Knight only took IU to 2 Final Fours in over 20 years, yet he is still revered at that school for dominating the Big 10 for 20 years. Calhoun's goal is success in the NCAAs, and if you ask him to define that success I guarantee he defines it as winning the National Title, not making the Final Four. Last, I don't think UK fans are all over Tubby for not making the Final Four since 1998...he took them there in '97 and '98 winning the title in '98, Pitino took them there in '96 and '93, winning the title in '96. Prior to that, you have to go back to '84 when UK made the Final Four. Tubby is on the hot seat because UK is no longer the basketball power in the SEC.

 

[GVF]

I tend to lean to milo and Hats opinion, and I guess the majority on this thread. Whlie conference titles are great, without further success and regular appearances in the tourney, it just loses it's sheen. This is totally different than football. You have to win teh conference their to be anybody and get a potential NC berth. It's that important, right up there with bragging rights. BB is a different structure altogether where you don't have to be the #1 conf. team to get a NC shot. Anything less than first in conference football is a consolation prize. The nature of the big dance only requires you get in. You can be the 3rd or 4th team in a conference and get in possibly. So, regular appearances, and going deep into the rounds is much more memorable, especially since the title is just as elusive as football. Atleast in BB if you get a NC, it's yours by right, not voted to you.

 

[bizzllama]

hands down elite 8 or final four. we'd only be the SEC tourney champs, still not the SEC champs.

Were not gonna win the SEC tourny. We could have a chance to go to the ELite Eight if we got some easy teams. But we wont get past that.

 

[bizzllama]

We haven't won an SEC Championship since 1979. Thats a trophy and a banner to hang and show recruits. The Final Four is big, however, it is forgettable. People already have a hard time remembering the Final Four from last year, let alone 2 and 3 years ago.

Don't get me wrong about this though, I would rather have a National Championship than an SEC Championship.

Recriuts will come if we can get national prominance. Not just in the South EAst.

 

[lawgator1]

First, Jayhawk fans didn't hold a weeklong vigil to keep Larry Brown around, like they did twice to try and keep Roy. Second, I stated that National Championships are more important than conference championships, however, Final Fours aren't. Last, Bobby Knight only took IU to 2 Final Fours in over 20 years, yet he is still revered at that school for dominating the Big 10 for 20 years. Calhoun's goal is success in the NCAAs, and if you ask him to define that success I guarantee he defines it as winning the National Title, not making the Final Four. Last, I don't think UK fans are all over Tubby for not making the Final Four since 1998...he took them there in '97 and '98 winning the title in '98, Pitino took them there in '96 and '93, winning the title in '96. Prior to that, you have to go back to '84 when UK made the Final Four. Tubby is on the hot seat because UK is no longer the basketball power in the SEC.

See, I think that the reason Knight was so popular was that his team was an ever-present NCAA team. Now, it may be true that the Indiana faithful loved him because he ran the Big Ten, but nationwide his popularity was based on NCAA performance.

One other point, and it has probably already been made, I feel certain that recruits dreaming of NBA careers are much more interested in what you do in the NCAA's than conference tournaments. Success breeds success. If you are fixture in the big dance, then you get that much more attention. I think Florida is a prime example of that. And I think Tennessee could be.

 

[therealUT]

See, I think that the reason Knight was so popular was that his team was an ever-present NCAA team. Now, it may be true that the Indiana faithful loved him because he ran the Big Ten, but nationwide his popularity was based on NCAA performance.

One other point, and it has probably already been made, I feel certain that recruits dreaming of NBA careers are much more interested in what you do in the NCAA's than conference tournaments. Success breeds success. If you are fixture in the big dance, then you get that much more attention. I think Florida is a prime example of that. And I think Tennessee could be.

I am not talking about not being a fixture in the NCAA tourney...that is much different than being in the Final Four. If your goals are 1) win your conference and conference tournament and 2) win a national championship, then you are going to be a perennial NCAA tournament team.

 

[lawgator1]

I am not talking about not being a fixture in the NCAA tourney...that is much different than being in the Final Four. If your goals are 1) win your conference and conference tournament and 2) win a national championship, then you are going to be a perennial NCAA tournament team.

That is true. But I thought the issue you were addressing was why a coach would be "popular" and, to me, getting into and then making waves in the NCAA is much more likely to bring a coach (and his team) notoriety. My suspicion, for example, is that at least twice as many UT fans will watch the first round UT game in the NCAA than will watch them tomorrow even if theyy are in the SEC conference Final Four.

Realtive to football, where conference success is much more important over the long haul, college basketball rewards you for what you do once the conference play is behind you.

 

[orange+white=heaven]

Realtive to football, where conference success is much more important over the long haul, college basketball rewards you for what you do once the conference play is behind you.

To loosely quote John Wayne from "The Alamo"...
"Playoff... It's one of those words that just makes you feel good...."

 

[hatvol96]

First, Jayhawk fans didn't hold a weeklong vigil to keep Larry Brown around, like they did twice to try and keep Roy. Second, I stated that National Championships are more important than conference championships, however, Final Fours aren't. Last, Bobby Knight only took IU to 2 Final Fours in over 20 years, yet he is still revered at that school for dominating the Big 10 for 20 years. Calhoun's goal is success in the NCAAs, and if you ask him to define that success I guarantee he defines it as winning the National Title, not making the Final Four. Last, I don't think UK fans are all over Tubby for not making the Final Four since 1998...he took them there in '97 and '98 winning the title in '98, Pitino took them there in '96 and '93, winning the title in '96. Prior to that, you have to go back to '84 when UK made the Final Four. Tubby is on the hot seat because UK is no longer the basketball power in the SEC.

Knight went to the Final Four in '73, '76, '81, '87, and '92. Come with the correct facts or don't come at all. Also, Tubby wasn't even the Coach at Kentucky in '96-'97. Are you just guessing what the facts are? Tubby's first year was '97-'98, the only year he has made the Final Four.