Poll
Question:
What result will be more satisfactory for MU this season?
Option 1: Big East regular season championship
votes: 56
Option 2: Big East tournament championship
votes: 13
Option 3: Sweet 16
votes: 78
Option 4: none of the above, but some nice individual honors (Buzz BE Coach of Year or Jerel BE POY First team All-American)
votes: 1
Obviously every team wants to get to the Final Four. But for the sake of argument, which accomplishment is the next most significant?
Hard to say. I think I'd actually say Sweet 16. Because winning the BE or BET and somehow not even getting to the Sweet 16 (as a 3 seed at very worst) would be extremely disappointing.
BE Championship gives us a banner and we are long overdue for a conference championship banner.
Partly serious, partly TC'd.
Quote from: marqptm on February 23, 2009, 11:39:46 AM
BE Championship gives us a banner and we are long overdue for a conference championship banner.
Partly serious, partly TC'd.
Also goes a long way towards getting a great NCAA seed which in turn helps our run in the tourny this year.
To paraphrase Herm Edwards, you play to win NCAA Championships. The closer you are to that goal the more satisfying it is. Conference results don't really mean much IMO.
I'd rather make it to the Sweet Sixteen with a team that barely got into the tournament than have a team win the conference and BET but not make it out of the first round.
Quote from: bma725 on February 23, 2009, 12:03:27 PM
To paraphrase Herm Edwards, you play to win NCAA Championships. The closer you are to that goal the more satisfying it is. Conference results don't really mean much IMO.
I'd rather make it to the Sweet Sixteen with a team that barely got into the tournament than have a team win the conference and BET but not make it out of the first round.
Agreed. Banners are nice, but I'll gladly give up the banner for a nice NCAA run.
Keith
I understand the idea, but this poll depresses me. Not that finishing in the sweet 16 would be bad after the season's over, but capping it there right now :(
Quote from: marqptm on February 23, 2009, 11:39:46 AM
BE Championship gives us a banner and we are long overdue for a conference championship banner.
+1
It's hard to choose. My thinking is that winning the regular season title in the deepest conference in the country would give us a high seed for the tourney. Once we get to tournament play a lot depends on our match ups.
Sorry I depressed you. I'm just curious where people's priorities are. I would take the BE regular season Title over a Sweet 16. I think it would be more remembered.
But really, this poll is flawed because winning the BE regular season title (with our final stretch of games) would almost guarantee at least a 2 seed which would mean being out of the tournament before the sweet 16 would be a total collapse (losing to a 7 or 8 seed)...which is unlikely.
If we win one of the greatest conferences ever assembled I would be pleased. I'd take it over a Sweet 16.
I would have to say the big east reg. season championship would mean SOOO much to me. Although, the big east tournament championship would do more for us. If we won that, a 2 seed would be ours, and then the sweet 16 would be a no brainer.
but in all seriousness, a big east reg season championship, with the way this season has beeen, and the teams involved, would be nothin short of spectacular
I agree on the the conference title, we will always remeber the 1994 team, partly due to the conference title, and the 2003 team as well. Also if we winn the confercne title it will cover us for the post season awards. mark my words if Mu wins the conference reg season titel Jerel is POY, BOM, Jerel, Wes, and ZAr might all be 1st team and BUzz is COY. Also helps witht he sweet 16 as we are playing a 7 seed in the second round.
Also winning the Big East does not give us a banner. At the AL they have up the new banners and all conference championships are on a single banner.
Look for something similar at the Bradley Center sometime in the future.
As far as we can go in the NCAA tourney - that's what I vote for.
Quote from: TallTitan34 on February 23, 2009, 12:41:35 PM
If we win one of the greatest conferences ever assembled I would be pleased. I'd take it over a Sweet 16.
It would be nice, but on the flip-side of that it would be a total bummer to win the greatest conference ever and then crap out before the Sweet 16.
Big East champs gets us a banner, but the most important thing is getting wins in the Big Dance.
I can say this because I don't believe in jinxes: Getting to the Sweet 16 is almost expected at this point, considering that we will be the higher seed in our first two tourney matchups.
Winning the Big East regular season title would likely require winning at least two of the next three (and of course, taking care of Syracuse on Senior Day. Again, that's kind of expected).
In general, tournament runs are more fun, but a full season of winning is definitely more satisfying, especially after the pre-season predications had us finishing #7.
I chose the regular season title. But if the NCAA tournament choice was changed to Elite Eight, I would choose that.
Quote from: krocheck on February 23, 2009, 12:15:09 PM
Agreed. Banners are nice, but I'll gladly give up the banner for a nice NCAA run.
Keith
+2. No one outside of that individual school remembers conference championships, its what you do in the tournament that matters. All of my favorite hoops memories are from the tournament. Very few are directly related to conference championships.
Quote from: TallTitan34 on February 23, 2009, 01:02:20 PM
Also winning the Big East does not give us a banner. At the AL they have up the new banners and all conference championships are on a single banner.
Look for something similar at the Bradley Center sometime in the future.
The biggest injustice is that the '94 team shares a banner (in size 10 font) with the '97 conference tournament championship team meanwhile the '03 got its own banner...I wonder why
Definitely the Sweet Sixteen. Yeah, winning the Big East would be great and if we were one game away, I'd probably change my mind, but right now definitely the SS.
Quote from: Avenue Commons on February 23, 2009, 01:40:15 PM
No one outside of that individual school remembers conference championships, its what you do in the tournament that matters. All of my favorite hoops memories are from the tournament. Very few are directly related to conference championships.
But, I don't think anyone outside the individual school really remembers sweet 16 runs, either. As much as I'd like a Sweet 16 run, I don't think anybody remembers Sweet 16 runs by high major programs. I think people remember low majors who make a 16, but not high. Honestly, I think that a BEast regular title would have better lasting impact than a Sweet 16 -- but only slightly. Like another poster said, if the choice was Elite 8, I think I would have picked that, but not Sweet 16.
We should want the Big East title for one simple reason: to be the first school from the expansion to win. This would gain much more credibility then simply winning two games against a creampuff and an average high major in one weekend.
Besides, it'd be nice to accomplish some of these things prior to Louisville. Their coach and fans are pompous enough. They don't need more ammo.
One reason for my selection (Big East Regular Season) is that at this point I really think Marquette ought to make the Sweet 16. I think that in light of their performance so far, and their likely seed, that is a very realistic and achievable goal. If they do it, I think most people (including me) will see that simply as doing what is expected. But winning the Big East regular season when No. 1 and No. 2 (current) and other ranked teams, I think that will make some waves.
The biggest advantage to a sweet 16 run is that the season lasts longer than if we won the Big East but lost in the second round. Win that second game in the tournament and you get a minimum of 4-6 extra days of excitement. But I chose winning the Big East Regular Season title because to me that is the most impressive feat on the list.
Quote from: CTWarrior on February 23, 2009, 03:47:30 PM
The biggest advantage to a sweet 16 run is that the season lasts longer than if we won the Big East but lost in the second round. Win that second game in the tournament and you get a minimum of 4-6 extra days of excitement. But I chose winning the Big East Regular Season title because to me that is the most impressive feat on the list.
I agree with all of this. I just graduated this past year and I remember the feeling on campus the week after our 1st or 2nd round losses. Even if we had lost in the sweet 16....you get a whole nother week to enjoy it...you only get a day or 2 after the first round.
Quote from: CTWarrior on February 23, 2009, 03:47:30 PM
The biggest advantage to a sweet 16 run is that the season lasts longer than if we won the Big East but lost in the second round. Win that second game in the tournament and you get a minimum of 4-6 extra days of excitement.
Isn't that the truth. I hate that feeling when, all of the sudden. the season is over. Especially when expectations are high. Another awful feeling is when a streak ends...like the USF game. Suddenly, in an instant, it's over. I hate that.
Big East Regular Season Championship
Stick it to everyone who thinks we do not belong
Quote from: larrym on February 23, 2009, 01:34:11 PM
I chose the regular season title. But if the NCAA tournament choice was changed to Elite Eight, I would choose that.
+1.
I've been reading posts with interest, trying to figure out how I feel. This is it. The regular season title "lasts longer" than what would undoubtedly be a disappointing end to a great season if we only reach the Sweet 16.
I took the poll to mean, I could have one of the options guaranteed, and take my chances on the others. Therefore I took the BE regular season championship, assuming this would equate to a 2 seed and I'd like our chances of getting to the sweet 16.
16 teams make the Sweet 16 every year. That is not very memorable. Winning the Big East regular championship is much more of an accomplishment. The problem I have is winning the championship and then not makeing the Sweet 16. Of course that is what happen to Georgetown last year. All in all I rather be last year's Georgetown's team than last year's Villanova.
Quote from: warrior55 on February 23, 2009, 04:45:15 PM
Big East Regular Season Championship
Stick it to everyone who thinks we do not belong
+1
BE Champions would be more significant than Sweet 16 exit. However - any deeper into the tourney- I would take the tourney over BE Champ.