Poll: Will Buzz and MU get to a Final Four within the next 5 years?

[Hoopaloop]

I said no but hope yes.

I look at who makes it year in and year out and rarely is it a school like Marquette. 

Reasons we could

Buzz stays the next five years
Big East conference doesn't suffer any more hits to the conference.  The league will be softer in coming years, but that could allow us to get a 1 or 2 seed because of fewer opportunities of losing

Reasons we won't.

Basketball only schools haven't been there much in the last 10 years.  Five of the last 40 Final Four participants have been basketball only schools.  12.5% of the spots went to bball only schools.
Will Buzz be here another 5 years? 
Will the Big East continue to crumble as a conference leading to trouble gathering recruits
Luck and competition.  It is hard to get to a Final Four.  Very hard.  The bluebloods have a tough enough time getting there and for MU to get there is even tougher.

[Tugg Speedman]

What does being a basketball only school have anything to do it it?  They were only 12.5% of the teams, but they all came out of the BE!  No of the others matter.  Their are only a handful of basketball only schools that have a realistic shot and they do very well.

If you insist that conference realignment matters, I assume you also think that Texas, Oklahoma and Okla State are screwed because the Big 12 is in the same position.

These are bogus reasons.

[Hoopaloop]

What does being a basketball only school have anything to do it it?  They were only 12.5% of the teams, but they all came out of the BE!  No of the others matter.  Their are only a handful of basketball only schools that have a realistic shot and they do very well.

If you insist that conference realignment matters, I assume you also think that Texas, Oklahoma and Okla State are screwed because the Big 12 is in the same position.

These are bogus reasons.

Butler is a basketball only school (yes, they have football but not scholarship football)
VCU is a basketball only school
George Mason is a basketball only school
Georgetown is a basketball school (yes, they have football but not scholarship football)


So no, they didn't all come from the Big East.  Only Marquette (CUSA at the time) and Villanova did (Villanova has football, barely).

The Big 12 is not the in the same position.  They are infinitely more stable that the Big East and about to sign a $2 BILLION deal with ESPN.  $2 BILLION.

The reason it matters is that powerful DI programs with football and basketball are getting to the Final Four more than basketball only schools.  The statistics are the statistics.  No one will disagree that Duke has football, but they are practically a basketball only school.  Most of the Final Four teams of the last decade.  Major programs, huge budgets, large alumni, usually large state schools.  Exceptions exist and always will, but the odds are harder for a MU then they are other schools.  What MU has going for it is a huge budget for hoops, a great history and a committed administration.

[77ncaachamps]

I believe that we can dance.

High expectations are good. But let's not lose perspective: We must see the forest in spite of the trees.