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Post by Pounce Needs Pals on Apr 3, 2011 10:52:43 GMT -6
Why does the word "cinderella" upset people? Because there have been 14 teams in the history of the NCAA Tournament who have gone to the national championship game in back-to-back seasons. At what point does Butler's success cease being surprising? Hard to say. Did anyone think after leaving the Cell on March 8th, this team will be in the Final Four? If Milwaukee would've beat BU on March 8, maybe Butler doesn't make the field. I'm not a fan of the word "cinderella" at all. I think the word is overplayed. |
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Post by Pounce Needs Pals on Apr 3, 2011 11:05:41 GMT -6
At what point does Butler's success cease being surprising?
To my point as well, when are the people of Milwaukee going to come out to the Cell and see that this league can play?
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Post by ghostofdylan on Apr 3, 2011 11:08:24 GMT -6
At the time, I certainly didn't think Butler would be in the Final Four.
I started having those thoughts after the Bulldogs defeated Pittsburgh.
When you look at the resumes of the First Four at-large teams, however, I believed then and still believe today that Butler merited inclusion in the field with its win over Florida State and its three wins over Cleveland State.
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Post by ghostofdylan on Apr 3, 2011 20:04:12 GMT -6
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Post by gman2 on Apr 4, 2011 8:10:42 GMT -6
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Post by ghostofdylan on Apr 4, 2011 8:23:28 GMT -6
I don't even need any of that stuff to root for Butler, gman. I like the way the Bulldogs play. I like the fact that they're primarily a local/regional team, with some key pieces imported from elsewhere, demonstrating how a highly successful team can be constructed. I like the fact that their players are true student-athletes who represent their university well. I like the fact that they represent our conference. I like the fact that Milwaukee swept them during the regular-season, hopefully planting the necessary belief in the minds of our players and coaches. I like the fact that local fans and a certain local sports columnist look really bad -- again -- for not having come out to this year's regular-season meeting with the Bulldogs. I like the manner in which their coach carries himself. He's one of the few visiting coaches whose hand I would like to shake, even if we had just lost a championship game to them. He made quite an impression on me by waving off their student section after the game on March 8. I especially like the fact that the cash register has been ringing practically non-stop since the start of last year's tournament. The decision at the moment is whether we should name our new on-campus facility Howard-Mack Arena or the Mack-Howard Center.  Go DAWGS!!! |
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Kingsbury
Junior
Sadly, no longer in the "Fear 42" Fan Club!!!
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Post by Kingsbury on Apr 4, 2011 8:51:55 GMT -6
UConn being dirty has zero effect on the way I feel about Butler; I will never root for Butler. I guess I am in the minority but I never understood rooting for other teams in the conference. All I want is a compelling game tonight. |
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Post by ghostofdylan on Apr 4, 2011 9:00:37 GMT -6
You want another reason why I root for Butler? It's what they don't do on the court. (Fair disclosure: when Kaylon jaw-jacked after posterizing Matt Howard, my stomach turned a little) Older Jayhawk fans: 'We had it coming' www.kansas.com/2011/04/03/1791256/some-ku-fans-irked-by-antics.htmlEnough with the trash-talking, elbow-throwing, crotch-grabbing antics already. Just play the damn game, OK? |
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Post by gman2 on Apr 4, 2011 9:49:05 GMT -6
UConn being dirty has zero effect on the way I feel about Butler; I will never root for Butler. I guess I am in the minority but I never understood rooting for other teams in the conference. All I want is a compelling game tonight. I guess nothing will make you root for Butler. |
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Post by ghostofdylan on Apr 4, 2011 11:02:19 GMT -6
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Post by Pounce Needs Pals on Apr 4, 2011 11:10:51 GMT -6
I just think it would be so cool that the NCAA Champion, would come from the Horizon League!
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Post by blackcatinorange on Apr 4, 2011 11:27:25 GMT -6
I just think it would be so cool that the NCAA Champion, would come from the Horizon League! I'm with ya there!!! |
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Post by BBFran on Apr 4, 2011 12:07:20 GMT -6
It would indeed be very cool to visit national championship trophies in two Horizon gyms on road trips. And let's face it -- would anyplace be more fitting for such a trophy than the Cathedral of Basketball?
I would imagine that these two runs by Butler (on top of the earlier, lesser but still captivating runs by Cleveland State and Milwaukee) are also making recruiting easier for every program in the league. Once is a fluke -- at least that's what the other recruiters will say. Twice to the title game and multiple Sweet Sixteens? And just possibly a national championship? I would guess some pretty good players will start thinking about the H League in a completely different light.
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Post by TBone on Apr 4, 2011 13:34:37 GMT -6
The sad thing is, even if Butler pulls it off tonight...the Jay Bilas, Dookie V crowd will want to put an asterisk on this season by saying college hoops was down this year. They will to a certain extent be invalidating what I consider one of the best two year runs ever by a team, let alone a mid-major team. How many teams make it to back to back final fours, let alone the championship game?
And those same BCS-loving commentators are quick to point out in this age of one and done players at major schools is allowing for the mid-majors to be more competitive, but few have mentioned how Butler lost a kid early last year. Can you imagine how much potentially better this Butler squad would be with Hayward?
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Post by ghostofdylan on Apr 4, 2011 15:14:40 GMT -6
At this point, who really cares what J. Bias has to say?
(By the way, those arguing for VCU's merits are now dismissed as practicing "revisionist history." I could practically make the same case for Marquette's march to the Sweet 16, which I supported wholeheartedly).
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