#52

[Benny B]

Actually... Crean's mistake was not sending someone to give Hinrich a midnight haircut (maybe shaving his eyebrows while he slept, too).  That is the one thing that would have assured the Warriors a shot against 'Cuse in the finals.  Crean knew this, and Crean dropped the ball.

Damn you, TC.

[mrr1981]

I don't remember much about that Syracuse team other than Melo, but how would we have done had we escaped Kansas?

[ChicosBailBonds]

All the damn belly aching about that game is comical.  Let's just hope we sniff that opportunity again in the next decade

[HoopsMalone]

All the damn belly aching about that game is comical.  Let's just hope we sniff that opportunity again in the next decade

+1  baby steps though.  Let's hope we sniff a sweet 16 first

[MUrugger]

Apparently, the memory of that game has never been lost on DWade.  After being stymied by Captain Kirk in the FF game, he's torched Hinrich several times since then.

[mugrad99]

The casual fans don't even remember who was IN the game 10 minutes after it ended.  And even then they couldn't tell you the names of the teams--only their uniform colors. 

Meanwhile, any fan with more than two functioning brain cells knows you can't get to the final four on a fluke.

Even looking back now, I would bet most MU fans (except the ones actually at the final four) could tell you who Syracuse played in the other semifinal.

[reinko]

Some of you are hilarious.  Diener (who was fighting shin-splints) and Novak, who had been shooting really well before that game, were a combined 2-18.  We shot 19% from the three point line.  I'm not sure how that translates into Crean laying an egg. 

Unfortunately, some here will do whatever they can to tear-down Crean, even if it means tearing-down a team that did wonders for MU.
 

Howe dare you!  How dare, you coming to a message and using facts and reason!  I am flabbergasted.

[Skatastrophy]

+1  baby steps though.  Let's hope we sniff a sweet 16 first

Bollocks to baby steps.  This is a message board.  I demand Championships!

[Golden Avalanche]

I don't remember much about that Syracuse team other than Melo, but how would we have done had we escaped Kansas?

Probably an ass kicking as well. They did win the title after-all.

They handled a Texas team lead by TJ Ford. That team also had Ivey and the Mouton kid who's brother won a title at Maryland, I think.

Cuse had Melo of course but also Gerry McNamara (who was a stud that year as a Frosh) and future NBAer in Hakim Warrick.

There was some real talent in that Final Four.

[GOO]

I don't think there was much Crean could have done against Kansas.  They were hot, hot, hot and we were not to start the game.  We could have slowed it down and should have, but I'm not too sure that would have made much of a difference.

I do think that Crean treated the FF more like a party, and Crean spent a lot of time out and about.  Whereas, Kansas, having been there (the year before I believe) hunkered down and were not happy to just be there - they wanted to win it.  Kansas was all business.  We were happy to be in the show.  That part of it could have been managed better by Crean.  But so what, he got us to the FF and he deserves a lot of credit for it. 

Kansas just had one of those games and we had the opposit, especially in the first half.  Sometimes things go that way.  Maybe our mindset could have been better, but like the team, I was just thrilled to be there.