More important to you...Regular season success or tourney success??

[muguru]

Think this is a good time to get the pulse of everyone here. What matters to you more?? Let's say MU goes on to win the BE regular season title(outright), but then wins one and loses one in the NCAAs, would the season be a success to you?? Let's say they finish second in the Big East, but make the Sweet 16,  would that be a success for you?? I guess I'm just curious what matters more to YOU?? Would winning the Big East title offset any lack of success they have in the tourney??

Here's my opinion....I LOVE college hoops. Love the regular season and all it encompasses. I BADLY want MU to win the Big East regular season title, that being said, everyone remembers the tourney and your success in it or lack there of. So if this team won the BE Regular season title but won one and lost one in the NCAAs, I'd be disappointed and feel a bit empty, It wouldn't be as bad as if they didn't win the BE title then went 1-1 in the tourney, but still an "empty" feeling. For MU to get themselves noticed in the National spotlight, they need to have tourney success. I love the tourney, more than any event in sports, and when MU loses, even after a sweet 16 appearance, I feel "empty". I wanted more, and I'm disappointed. What say you??


I know most of you are going to say "I didn't even expect them to be an NCAA tourney team". It's not my fault you are terrible at prognostications, some of us saw this success before the season. Just use an "in general" type of scenario.

[geps]

All about what you do in March.

[Goose]

Year to year it is different for me. Last year getting drilled by FL took away some luster of season for me. This year regular season probably trumps NCAA success or failure.

[TallTitan34]

I'd put winning the current Big East on par with a Sweet Sixteen.

[awilhelmscream]

I'd say March 100% of the time under normal circumstances but this year is different because its the last year the Big East is THE REAL Big East.  I want to walk out of there with the regular season crown at the very least because of all of the bitching by traditional Big East schools about the conference letting in all of the bball only schools.  It'd be sweeter than anything but another Final Four trip for me. 

[🏀]

I'd put winning the current Big East on par with a Sweet Sixteen.

Elite Eight if you win the BE tournament.

[Stronghold]

I think it is about finding a balance between the 2.  The 3 Amigos never had much tourney success but I hardly consider their 4 seasons at MU unsuccessful. 

[MUSF]

Both... it depends... Here's how I think I would rank the measures of success.

1. National Championship
2. Final Four
3. Elite Eight
4. Conference Championship (Reg Season)
5. Sweet 16
6. Conference Championship (Tourney)
7. 2nd round
8. 2nd - 4th place conference
9. 1st round
10. 5th or lower conference

[We R Final Four]

When Natl media speaks of MU this year they ALWAYS say:

"Buzz Williams has taken MU to back to back Sweet Sixteen appearances."

No one besides die-hards know if we finished 2nd place in the BEast or 9th place during the last two years.

Its all about the Final Four.

[statnik]

I'd say March 100% of the time under normal circumstances but this year is different because its the last year the Big East is THE REAL Big East.  I want to walk out of there with the regular season crown at the very least because of all of the bitching by traditional Big East schools about the conference letting in all of the bball only schools.  It'd be sweeter than anything but another Final Four trip for me. 

It would also be a fitting end to an 8-year run of finishing .500 or better in the BE every season to finally walk away as Big East regular season champions.

[dwaderoy2004]

In my mind, an outright regular season title trumps everything but a Final Four run.

[muguru]

In my mind, an outright regular season title trumps everything but a Final Four run.

I think I agree with you. I REALLY want the Big East title. Question....would it taint it some though, if they share it, or wouldn't it matter to you?? I want it outright.

[Tugg Speedman]

When Natl media speaks of MU this year they ALWAYS say:

"Buzz Williams has taken MU to back to back Sweet Sixteen appearances."

No one besides die-hards know if we finished 2nd place in the BEast or 9th place during the last two years.

Its all about the Final Four.

That's because that was the highlight of the last two seasons.  Had we won the BE regular season the last two years, that would get mentioned first.

[chapman]

I guess I'd favor tournament success over regular season - it's what you play the regular season for after all.  I guess two years ago was the best test: our 9-9 regular season was a disappointment, but I don't think anyone called the season a disappointment when we made the Sweet 16 for the first time in eight years...most probably said it was our best season since '03 since we were able to play into the second weekend.  Same goes for the conference season; you get the clean "Big East Champions" banner if you win the Big East Championship (the real name of the tournament), rather than "Big East Regular Season Champions". 

[lab_warrior]

When Natl media speaks of MU this year they ALWAYS say:

"Buzz Williams has taken MU to back to back Sweet Sixteen appearances."

No one besides die-hards know if we finished 2nd place in the BEast or 9th place during the last two years.

Its all about the Final Four.

This. 

[We R Final Four]

That's because that was the highlight of the last two seasons.  Had we won the BE regular season the last two years, that would get mentioned first.

Funny, cuz when they speak of Butler and VCU they NEVER mention regular season success ONLY post season success.
Did VCU win it's regular season title? Conf championship?
Who cares? They went to the Final Four.
Regular Season is a pre cursor for the tourney. See Gonzaga this year. If they don't make a deep run in the tourney no one other than die hard zags will remember that they went 30-2 or whatever.

[Eye]

Want to win a national championship in my lifetime (was 5 in '77). Only long-term goal.

[77ncaachamps]

Tourney.

That's when all eyes are upon you.

In the end, when you've won it all, you share the stage with no one.

[Jay Bee]

What I'm seeing a lot of your answers being is, "what's most important to me are soundbites from 'national media'"

I love consistency. I love the the frequency of double digit conference wins MU has had. I love back-to-back sweet 16 appearances.

But... each year is different. If you could only have one of (a) take 2nd place in the Big East, get bounced in the round of 32 or (b) take 5th place in the Big East, reach the Elite Eight, you'd take (b)... but, without specific scenarios, they are both important -- depends on the season and who you get matched up with in the tourney.

[77ncaachamps]

What I'm seeing a lot of your answers being is, "what's most important to me are soundbites from 'national media'"

I love consistency. I love the the frequency of double digit conference wins MU has had. I love back-to-back sweet 16 appearances.

But... each year is different. If you could only have one of (a) take 2nd place in the Big East, get bounced in the round of 32 or (b) take 5th place in the Big East, reach the Elite Eight, you'd take (b)... but, without specific scenarios, they are both important -- depends on the season and who you get matched up with in the tourney.

That's a no-brainer.

To you, the dedicated fan, (a) and consistency during the regular season is very important.
To the rest of the uneducated populace that only watches March Madness and doesn't follow conference play, MARCH makes the grade.

[jesmu84]

Think this is a good time to get the pulse of everyone here. What matters to you more?? Let's say MU goes on to win the BE regular season title(outright), but then wins one and loses one in the NCAAs, would the season be a success to you?? Let's say they finish second in the Big East, but make the Sweet 16,  would that be a success for you?? I guess I'm just curious what matters more to YOU?? Would winning the Big East title offset any lack of success they have in the tourney??

Here's my opinion....I LOVE college hoops. Love the regular season and all it encompasses. I BADLY want MU to win the Big East regular season title, that being said, everyone remembers the tourney and your success in it or lack there of. So if this team won the BE Regular season title but won one and lost one in the NCAAs, I'd be disappointed and feel a bit empty, It wouldn't be as bad as if they didn't win the BE title then went 1-1 in the tourney, but still an "empty" feeling. For MU to get themselves noticed in the National spotlight, they need to have tourney success. I love the tourney, more than any event in sports, and when MU loses, even after a sweet 16 appearance, I feel "empty". I wanted more, and I'm disappointed. What say you??


I know most of you are going to say "I didn't even expect them to be an NCAA tourney team". It's not my fault you are terrible at prognostications, some of us saw this success before the season. Just use an "in general" type of scenario.

aren't you the same guy who, a few days ago, was bitching and starting multiple threads about our loss to Nova and potentially sacrificed BE 1st place finish?  Move your goalposts some more please.

[Sunbelt15]

Tournament success brings national recognition. That helps recruiting and hopefully a national championship.

[shoothoops]

Both.  It isn't one or the other for me.

[WarriorHal]

1. March Madness -- NCAA Tourney
2. Regular Season
3. Conference Tourney

[ChicosBailBonds]

I've always said it's a three part season and I'm not changing my tune.

Preseason
Regular season
Post season

I divide the seasons up that way.  If we have a bad day in the post season it isn't going to destroy a great regular season.  Just as a great post season and an average regular season doesn't gloss over any of the warts either.