So many interesting storylines for this Final Four

[Tarheel Boy 0]

George Mason in the Final Four is cool and unique, but I have a feeling this could be one of the least watched Final Fours in recent memory. Last year I think everyone knew either Carolina or Illinois would be in the championship game and a very good chance both would be playing. This year there's a legitimate case for any of the four teams to win it all. While this makes for a great story line for diehard college hoop junkies like myself, I have a feeling the ratings are going to suck. No UNC, Dook, UCONN, Kentucky, Kansas, etc in the Final Four won't draw a lot of attention. That being said, this is going to be an interesting Final Four:

 

1.) LSU back in the Final Four for the first time in 20 years. (Bring back Dale Brown's freak defense)

2.) George Mason being an 11th seed which is what LSU was.

3.) Not one team from the top 3 RPI conferences is in the Final Four

4.) Only one team in the last regular season top 10 poll is in the Final Four.

5.) Not one #1 seed is in the Final Four

6.) Very few people knew of Big Baby prior to the tourney.

7.) Every team that's in the Final Four beat the #1 seed.

 

I can't wait.

[ZeroTolerance 583]

And for this being the ugliest looking Final Four 'on paper', and the least interesting looking tourney to me entering the first round, it has easily been the most entertaining one I can ever recall. The past 4 days were unbelievable.

[Fumbleweed 492]

George Mason in the Final Four is cool and unique, but I have a feeling this could be one of the least watched Final Fours in recent memory. Last year I think everyone knew either Carolina or Illinois would be in the championship game and a very good chance both would be playing. This year there's a legitimate case for any of the four teams to win it all. While this makes for a great story line for diehard college hoop junkies like myself, I have a feeling the ratings are going to suck. No UNC, Dook, UCONN, Kentucky, Kansas, etc in the Final Four won't draw a lot of attention. That being said, this is going to be an interesting Final Four:

 

1.) LSU back in the Final Four for the first time in 20 years. (Bring back Dale Brown's freak defense)

2.) George Mason being an 11th seed which is what LSU was.

3.) Not one team from the top 3 RPI conferences is in the Final Four

4.) Only one team in the last regular season top 10 poll is in the Final Four.

5.) Not one #1 seed is in the Final Four

6.) Very few people knew of Big Baby prior to the tourney.

7.) Every team that's in the Final Four beat the #1 seed.

 

I can't wait.

 

It's been a very special tournament to date. The SEC has proven that it was much stronger than people gave it credit for. Particularly at the top. I fully expect to see an LSU-Florida final at this point, although any of the 4 teams can certainly win it.

 

George Mason's inclusion has been brewing for years. The "mid-major" conferences are churning out more and more championship-caliber teams...teams that stay together and play as a team.

 

Unlike the women's tourney where the top seeds nearly always win, the men's tournament is just so unpredictable.

 

Will this Final Four get low viewer ratings? Possibly. However, is it one of the most intriguing Final Fours of my lifetime? Most definitely.

[Clash of the Titans 1]

George Mason in the Final Four is cool and unique, but I have a feeling this could be one of the least watched Final Fours in recent memory. Last year I think everyone knew either Carolina or Illinois would be in the championship game and a very good chance both would be playing. This year there's a legitimate case for any of the four teams to win it all. While this makes for a great story line for diehard college hoop junkies like myself, I have a feeling the ratings are going to suck. No UNC, Dook, UCONN, Kentucky, Kansas, etc in the Final Four won't draw a lot of attention. That being said, this is going to be an interesting Final Four:

 

1.) LSU back in the Final Four for the first time in 20 years. (Bring back Dale Brown's freak defense)

2.) George Mason being an 11th seed which is what LSU was.

3.) Not one team from the top 3 RPI conferences is in the Final Four

4.) Only one team in the last regular season top 10 poll is in the Final Four.

5.) Not one #1 seed is in the Final Four

6.) Very few people knew of Big Baby prior to the tourney.

7.) Every team that's in the Final Four beat the #1 seed.

 

I can't wait.

 

 

 

the SEC can now say that it's the best conference in basketball as well as as it is in football each season....... 'having said that i predict a florida-lsu title game...the winner to be predicted later this week... i am leaning the way of the gator as they are the most versatile and well-rounded of the 4 left ... interesting the only other time was 1980 when a #1 seed didn't make the final four

 

 

ohh my 'Bama boys were one steeley ron 3 pointer from being ucla and making the sweet 16

[Giants Fan 85]

I predict UCLA takes it all.

 

 

 

Go PAC-10!

[mighty_thor 115]

If George Mason makes it to the final game then that game will have a high TV rating. But if they lose in the semis I agree. A UCLA-Florida or LSU - Florida matchup will have lower ratings than usual.

[GobbleDog 919]

HOW BOUT THEM GATORS!!!!!!!!!!

 

Bring on George Mason!

[DanXIII 8]

Hey Tarheel, congrats to yer boys on a nice season. You should have taken me up on my bet offer. I'd be feasting on crow right now.

[GobbleDog 919]

At the beginning of every football season, I deposit $200 into my gambling account and see how long I can make it last. At the end of the year if I have anything left, I put it all on the SuperBowl. (Damn Seahawks)

 

But, I still have 3 bets pending:

 

$2 on the Orlando Magic to win the NBA Championship.

$2 on the LA Lakers to win the NBA Championship.

 

and

 

$2 on the Florida Gators to win the NCAA Championship. At the time, the odds were 100 to 1!!!

[golden eagles 0]

Good tournament, no doubt, but I can't say that I'm very excited about the Final 4. I bet the ratings are going to stink & I expect empty seats in Indy Saturday. I think it's great for the players/coaches involved, but it's not the 4 best teams in college basketball & anyone who says they are is crazy.

 

I have totally changed my mind on a college football playoff because of this tournament. At least with the BCS, you get two of the TOP teams, you may not get them all, but you get 2 of them.

[Mungwater 593]

I have totally changed my mind on a college football playoff because of this tournament. At least with the BCS, you get two of the TOP teams, you may not get them all, but you get 2 of them.

 

 

IMO this tournament supports the playoff system for football. Not 64 teams obviously, just maybe top 16. The BCS is a joke, and while I love college football, post-season-wise it can't touch the tournament.

[golden eagles 0]

IMO this tournament supports the playoff system for football. Not 64 teams obviously, just maybe top 16. The BCS is a joke, and while I love college football, post-season-wise it can't touch the tournament.

 

I didn't say the BCS wasn't a joke, but I don't want to see the 10th or 12th or 25th best college football team playing for a national championship & that's about what you've got this weekend

 

jmo...

[EMoney 0]

I didn't say the BCS wasn't a joke, but I don't want to see the 10th or 12th or 25th best college football team playing for a national championship & that's about what you've got this weekend

 

jmo...

 

Those are where they are ranked before the post season when the games really matter. Having #1 talent and choking does not equate to a championship team. If they were 1,2,3,4 they would be in the final 4. Mason is a top 4 team IMO. If you bean UConn, Mich St, NC during the regular season you would be ranked in the top 5 for sure. So why don't you give them that credit now?

[golden eagles 0]

GM is due all the credit in the world for what they've done. However, they caught a break getting Wichita State in the sweet 16 & you have to admit that. They're not a season long top 4 team. They lost to Hofstra TWICE

[Fumbleweed 492]

I think it's great for the players/coaches involved, but it's not the 4 best teams in college basketball & anyone who says they are is crazy.

 

I have totally changed my mind on a college football playoff because of this tournament. At least with the BCS, you get two of the TOP teams, you may not get them all, but you get 2 of them.

 

Really disagree with this (respectfully).

 

When teams play their non-conference schedules every December, they aren't nearly as cohesive as they become later in the year. The games are important, but shouldn't be indicative of where things are going to be in March. Then, from January on, all teams do is plays teams from their own conferences. It's hard to compare conferences at that point.

 

LSU was the regular season SEC champ with a 14-2 conference record. Florida was the SEC Tournament Champion. UCLA won both the regular season and tournament titles in the Pac-10. You would be hard pressed to say that other teams are "better" than these three this year....they've won championships in major conferences.

 

The fourth team, George Mason, probably wasn't one of the top four this season, of course, but you'd be hard-pressed to find someone that doesn't think they're one of the top 4 teams in the country as of how they're playing NOW.

 

I refuse to say these aren't the top four teams. LSU and Florida in particular have been dominant at times. The other two beat some pretty salty opponents. These are my top four. Just because other teams were overrated because they came from a certain conference or reside on the East Coast somewhere isn't my problem.

[jerryskids 6,317]

What sticks out to me is the Big 10 getting completely whacked the first weekend. If I ever again hear about how strong that entire conference is, I'm going to shoot somebody.

[KSB2424 3,107]

If we started the tourney over with the same 65 teams. There would be 4 different teams in the the Final Four.

[brinett9 0]

Yes, many story lines.

 

Unfortunately, most of them are related to basketball.

[KSB2424 3,107]

I think an interesting story line is how everyone is talking that the Mid Majors are now on par with the power conference teams. As they say in the south.....Hogwash!

 

Big 6 schools+CUSA are 25-10 against all other conferences in the tourney. Thats a 70% winning percentage. Of those 10 losses, 5 were at the hands of 2 teams: GMU and Bradley. 2 more of those wins were against teams lower seeded teams(i.e. the mid-major was the favorite). Of the 30 big conference teams eliminated, 20 of them were done so by other big conference schools. Outside of GMU, "upset" minded teams are 5-25 against the big boys.

 

[GettnHuge 2]

skipping ahead from the 1st post...

anyone remember last year with those focken amazing games inthe elite eight

and final four? they were crushed in the ratings for the week by craptastic shows

like american idol, survivor and even a rerun of evrybody loves raymond.

people

[Fumbleweed 492]

I think an interesting story line is how everyone is talking that the Mid Majors are now on par with the power conference teams. As they say in the south.....Hogwash!

 

Big 6 schools+CUSA are 25-10 against all other conferences in the tourney. Thats a 70% winning percentage. Of those 10 losses, 5 were at the hands of 2 teams: GMU and Bradley. 2 more of those wins were against teams lower seeded teams(i.e. the mid-major was the favorite). Of the 30 big conference teams eliminated, 20 of them were done so by other big conference schools. Outside of GMU, "upset" minded teams are 5-25 against the big boys.

 

 

Not all non-power conference schools are considered mid-majors. Mid-majors are the conferences generally ranking from about 8-15. The conferences ranked below that are basically considered to be lesser conferences. Throw those conferences out (as they are generally fodder for the first round) and the "mid-majors hold their own just fine. The "Big 6" as you put it accumulated a fair share of those 25 wins against really small schools from the weakest conferences due to seeding. When you're seeded #1, #2, or #3, you tend to get far lesser opponents in round one. That's where those school accumulated the wins.

 

Not so with a mid-major. They have to earn every victory as they're seeded in such a way that they play another good team right off the bat.

 

Again, your stats are very flawed by the fact that you're putting all 25 non "power" conferences into that mid-major label. The mid-majors are again not all non-power conferences and when you consider that, they did indeed fare VERY well this year.

 

What sticks out to me is the Big 10 getting completely whacked the first weekend. If I ever again hear about how strong that entire conference is, I'm going to shoot somebody.

 

Well, last year they had 2 teams in the Final Four, so it's a year by year sort of thing..........

[GobbleDog 919]

An LSU - UF Championship Game would be great for SEC fans.

 

That's what I'm hoping for. And of course, watching my Gators completely destroy them.

[parrot 789]

Hogwash!

:reported:

[Tarheel Boy 0]

Hey Tarheel, congrats to yer boys on a nice season. You should have taken me up on my bet offer. I'd be feasting on crow right now.

 

Thanks, dude. They exceeding my expectations 100 fold. Never in a million years would I have thought they would play so well. This was the first time in years I didn't get upset when the Heels lost. Yes, it was a disappointment, but they gave us a heck of a ride this year.

[CantTouchThis 23]

This is the first time i am really into it, i will deffinently be watching every game. IMO, LSU just seems like the most talented team, and i think they will win it all.

[Juniper 0]

A favorite from the East or Midwest would probably boost the television ratings and a team who's bandwagon people climbed aboard during the season might've been nice. George Mason is a pleasant enough underdog story and although Baton Rouge didn't get smacked by Katrina like the Gulf Coast did; LSU representating Louisiana is heartwarming. But the basketball tradition of UCLA and fan base of Florida would probably make for higher ratings.

 

I honestly did not know that Florida's Joakim Noah was the son of former French Open winner Yannick Noah.