Go Mean Green NCAA Bracket Challange

[laxtonto]

Also, before I forget...next year, let's compile a list of brackets you can do online (or heck, even in person) for free that have prizes involved. The other one that I did, I already won about $30 in free stuff and if Louisville wins I'll get about another $15 in food, and if I have the best score at my location I get another $100 (i.e., every store gives out a hundred bucks to the winner on top of the other prizes).

The only downside is, let's say Rudy's or somebody has one, then all of you still in Denton will be each other's competition...but if we find a dozen or so where the prizes areas easy to win as the one at Rock Bottom, most of us could pull off $300 or so in free stuff without spending a penny.

Sooo...late February/early March next year, we can start a thread with information about all of the free ones with prizes involved. Does this sound like a good plan to anybody else?

Sounds great...

Sorry I dropped the thread but I sorta blew out my shoulder so up until Monday typing has been a no go.. Thankfully it looks less and less likely I will have surgery though..

All hail Cherokee Space Eaglez, winner of the GMG bracket challenge 2013!!

And a pox upon Ryan's Original Bracket, for coming in dead last because you picked OSU to have success in basketball!!

[CMJ]

Yeah, I am gonna change my mind and say that Louisville is the 7th blue blood program. Their first Final Four was in 1959, have been to ten total with at least one in the 50's, 70's 80, 00's, and '10's (AND they made an Elite 8 in 1997 so close to a FF in the 90's) with 3 national titles. And as long as Pitino is there (another decade?) they're gonna be in the mix for more championships.

Edited April 9, 2013 by CMJ

[Mean Green 93-98]

So, does Louisville enter the "blue blood" realm, or are they still outside of it? Usually the blue blood programs are considered to be the six most storied (in no particular order Duke, Kentucky, UCLA, Indiana, UNC, & Kansas). They have a pretty impressive history (16th all time in wins, plus some HOF'ers who have come through there) and now have won 3 NCAA Titles, which is tied for 6th with Kansas and Connecticut.

I don't really consider Connecticut a blue blood despite their 3 titles, because they weren't really relevant at all before Calhoun and who knows how they're gonna fare without him. UL has to at least be in the conversation though since they have been in the national discussion off and on for years.

I'd probably have the current tiers something like this:

Blue Bloods (in no order)

UCLA (11 titles, relevant off and on for the last fifty years)

Kentucky (8 titles, plus a couple of NIT titles back when the NIT was just a big a deal as the NCAA...all time winningest program)

Kansas (3 titles, relevant since forever....Dr. Naismith coached there...I mean c'mon!)

UNC (5 titles, good since the 50's)

Duke (4 titles, decent success before Coach K...awesome levels of success since)

Indiana (5 titles spread from 1940 through 1987...made title game in 2002...back in the spotlight again after probation)

Second Tier (In no order)

Connecticut (3 titles, no history before Calhoun)

Louisville (3 titles, some success before Denny Crum....great success with him...fall off after he retired till Pitino)

Florida (2 titles...not a great deal of history until Donovan)

Michigan State (2 titles...numerous Final Fours under Izzo...Magic Johnson going to school and getting a ring there)

NC State (2 titles...plus some great teams in the 60's and 70's that were probably National Title worthy if not for UCLA)

Syracuse (1 title...always in the hunt...coach has the 2nd most wins all time)

I am thinking Louisville might slide into the Blue Blood group. Especially if Pitino continues to have success there. I'm not even talking titles either...just some solid seasons and good tourney runs.

Michigan would definitely have to be in that second tier.

Also, all-time wins would have to be a consideration: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_teams_with_the_most_victories_in_NCAA_Division_I_men%27s_college_basketball

Edited April 9, 2013 by Mean Green 93-98

[CMJ]

Michigan would definitely have to be in that second tier.

Also, all-time wins would have to be a consideration: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_teams_with_the_most_victories_in_NCAA_Division_I_men%27s_college_basketball

I thought about including St Johns (most NIT titles all-time, most when the NIT was still very prestigious), and I am not surprised they are so high on the wins list. Some of the schools are a tad unexpected.

Not sure why Michigan would be in the second tier with the "friends" in East Lansing. Ohio State has a better claim.

Edited April 9, 2013 by CMJ

[JesseMartin]

Sounds great...

Sorry I dropped the thread but I sorta blew out my shoulder so up until Monday typing has been a no go.. Thankfully it looks less and less likely I will have surgery though..

All hail Cherokee Space Eaglez, winner of the GMG bracket challenge 2013!!

And a pox upon Ryan's Original Bracket, for coming in dead last because you picked OSU to have success in basketball!!

Be careful with that...I should have had surgery years ago and avoided it like the plague, and now I can't even sleep with my arms over my head because they will fall asleep due to the poor circulation.

As to your handle...is it supposed to read as "Lacrosse Tonto"? I had this image in my head of a dude in green and white lacrosse gear dancing to the "Tonto! Jump on it! Jump on it! Jump on it!" song by the Sugarhill Gang.

[Mean Green 93-98]

Not sure why Michigan would be in the second tier with the "friends" in East Lansing. Ohio State has a better claim.

Why would Michigan State keep Michigan from the second tier? NC doesn't keep Duke from the "blue bloods." If anything, if you are going to include MSU, you almost have to include Michigan, considering how they have historically dominated MSU. Michigan has one national title, and they have played in the championship game twice and lost close games in the past 20 years. They are typically a force to be reckoned with in the tournament just about every year. That might not mean much to folks in Lexington or Lawrence, but I'd put them right there with Connecticut or Florida, considering those teams really have no history at all prior to their present coaches.

I might have overstated things a little bit by saying that Michigan would definitely have to be in your second tier. But I do think they would definitely be a strong candidate.

[CMJ]

Technically Michigan has 5 Final Fours (they made seven, but two were vacated). I mean they have an argument I guess, but I'd be hard pressed to rank them above Ohio State or Arkansas - and those two schools wouldn't make my second tier.

[Mean Green 93-98]

I'd be hard pressed to rank them above Ohio State or Arkansas - and those two schools wouldn't make my second tier.

I would think that Michigan's appearances in the NCAA finals would give them a pretty solid edge over Arkansas. I guess Ohio State probably does have a better argument...I'm just thinking of when I grew up how everyone thought of Michigan as a superpower...No one really thought of Ohio State that way.

[GrandGreen]

Blue bloods are not, I am tired of basically the same group of teams dominating basketball. It is the same in football but there are only about a third of the teams involved.

[MeanGreenTexan]

Blue bloods are not, I am tired of basically the same group of teams dominating basketball. It is the same in football but there are only about a third of the teams involved.

I think parity is beginning to show through in NCAA basketball more than ever now.

Oh, and CMJ, I would maybe submit Georgetown basketball as a team with staying power. A 'second tier' program for sure going back at least to John Thompson Sr's hire.

[CMJ]

I think parity is beginning to show through in NCAA basketball more than ever now.

Oh, and CMJ, I would maybe submit Georgetown basketball as a team with staying power. A 'second tier' program for sure going back at least to John Thompson Sr's hire.

Yeah, Georgetown was a team I thought about. If Thompson III had had more success in the tournament (at least closer to his dad's), I might have been more inclined to include them. But really, when you think of Georgetown you think of the Ewing 80's teams and that's mostly it. Maybe some also think when Iverson was there.

[UNTGuy5]

Sounds great...

Sorry I dropped the thread but I sorta blew out my shoulder so up until Monday typing has been a no go.. Thankfully it looks less and less likely I will have surgery though..

All hail Cherokee Space Eaglez, winner of the GMG bracket challenge 2013!!

And a pox upon Ryan's Original Bracket, for coming in dead last because you picked OSU to have success in basketball!!

Took me far too long to notice that I had won this thing! I need to post more often. Best of luck next year everyone! I'm gonna go celebrate by bathing in a tub of Ranch dressing while watching Fox News, and reflecting on the success of Tony Benford's first year as head coach of the Mean Green.