NFT - Uconn Wins 5th National Title

[uconnjack8]

I know there are a few other Uconn fans on this board.

I have to admit I am pretty stunned by this run through the tournament.  I watched them play a bit during the season and thought if they put it together they could probably get to the elite 8, but I never thought that 1) they would be the champions and 2) win every game by double digits.      

I was excited when Danny Hurley took the job because of his NJ connections, recruiting connections in the NY/NJ area and obvious knowledge of the game.  Now I hope he is looking for a long career at Uconn. 

Whenever you have a coach like Calhoun leave a program there is no guarantees that it will ever experience the same levels of success.  The title in 2014 was great but that success was short lived and its great to see the program potentially have a bright future again going forward.

It may sound ridiculous, but when I was looking at colleges years ago one of the reasons I really liked Uconn had to do with basketball.  When touring the campus they had kiosks with touch screens that you could see maps of the campus, parking and other information...Those kiosks also had one other option you choose "The Shot".  These kiosks were in a lot of buildings all over campus and when you clicked on "the shot", this is what played:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LCiW200g1TI

It wasn't the deciding factor for where I would go to college, but at the time I watched a lot of college basketball and it definitely added to my admiration for the campus and attitude. 

Nostalgic rant over.  UCONN CHAMPIONS AGAIN!

[Jolly Blue Giant]

Congrats to UConn   

I'm not a fan of UConn, but I've always respected the program. I only got to go to four Syracuse Basketball games at the dome and two of them were against UConn...who beat us like a rented mule when we were supposedly the "better team" those years, while UConn was having down years. Frustrated the crap out of me. Jim Calhoun seemed to always rise to the occasion when facing his nemesis Jim Boeheim...but I digress as I wax nostalgic of the early years of the "King of Basketball Conferences - the Big East"

Not sure when I quit hating UConn (only because of their ability to put it to the Orange even when SU was at their best and UConn was having down years ). Maybe it was the six OT game at Madison Square Garden that I finally felt the Orange had finally beat them. Talk about an exhausting game - even watching it on television was exhausting. Possibly the greatest game in the history of the Garden    ...definitely, between SU and UConn

Regardless, I tip my hat to UConn fans. Congrats again 

[DaveBrown74]

Congratulations to UConn for an extremely well deserved title. They played brilliantly throughout the tournament.

[Philosophers]

After Iona's loss to UConn, Rick Pitino told Danny Hurley "good luck and your team is good enough to win it all."  What a call my Pitino.

[uconnjack8]

Congrats to UConn   

I'm not a fan of UConn, but I've always respected the program. I only got to go to four Syracuse Basketball games at the dome and two of them were against UConn...who beat us like a rented mule when we were supposedly the "better team" those years, while UConn was having down years. Frustrated the crap out of me. Jim Calhoun seemed to always rise to the occasion when facing his nemesis Jim Boeheim...but I digress as I wax nostalgic of the early years of the "King of Basketball Conferences - the Big East"

Not sure when I quit hating UConn (only because of their ability to put it to the Orange even when SU was at their best and UConn was having down years ). Maybe it was the six OT game at Madison Square Garden that I finally felt the Orange had finally beat them. Talk about an exhausting game - even watching it on television was exhausting. Possibly the greatest game in the history of the Garden    ...definitely, between SU and UConn

Regardless, I tip my hat to UConn fans. Congrats again 

That game was ridiculous.  Nothing like watching a 6 OT game only to see your team lose. 

When I was in college there was a Uconn player that for some reason shot the lights out in the Carrier dome every year.  If Brian Fair had gone to Syracuse he may have averaged over 20 pts/game.  He was not Calhoun's favorite player because he got in trouble while at Uconn, but for some reason he would put up 20+ points every time they played at Syracuse.  Didn't do it at home against Syracuse for some reason, just on the road.

The Big East was a lot of fun from the mid 90's through the early 2000's with a lot of good teams in the conference.  Teams like Prov and Pitt tended to be nationally underrated but were very tough in conference games. 

[Jolly Blue Giant]

There was nothing, nor will there ever be again, anything like the original Big East Conference. It was the most exciting time in my life as a fan of college basketball. Now with NIL, and players jumping ship with the "Transfer Portal", college basketball will never be the same 

[Bob In PA]

I have to admit I am pretty stunned by this run through the tournament.

uconn: Same as Eli's first Super Bowl win. Congratulations. Bob

[coggs]

There was nothing, nor will there ever be again, anything like the original Big East Conference. It was the most exciting time in my life as a fan of college basketball. Now with NIL, and players jumping ship with the "Transfer Portal", college basketball will never be the same 

With Pitino going to St Johns, he can draw NIL money.  If Georgetown can get a big name coach, the same can be done there.  If anything, I think the Big East as potential to climb back with the NIL money.

[kartanoman]

When "Original Big East" wins it all, I'm happy and Dave Gavitt is smiling down from heaven. It is a friendly reminder of what was once the most dominating conference in college basketball history, hands down.

We had our "Farewell Jimmy B" send-off thread last month. This is a great tribute to the most successful Big East Basketball program ever, the Huskies of Connecticut, to Coach Hurley, the memories of the legendary Coach Jim Calhoun, as well as the successes of Kevin Ollie. Once Calhoun got them beating the old Beasts of the East, and became a Beast in their own right, they have left everyone else in the dust to be the gold standard. Their fifth NCAA title now puts them equal with Indiana and Duke, with North Carolina waiting in the wings with six (6).

College hoops in the Northeast is going to look very different, next season, regardless of conference, but the entire country will be looking The Big East's way to where the reigning champions reside.

Congratulations, Huskies Men's Basketball Team and Fans! The Big East remains the Beast!

Peace!