Well sure. I guess for me personally a Final Four is no different than an Elite Eight if you don't win the whole thing. I'd rather not get there, than get there and lose.

 

Certainly "Final Four" is an arbitrary line, but it is a line used by most at Kentucky, Duke, North Carolina, Kansas, Louisville, etc.

Final Fours mean quite a bit to me. Yeah I want Championships, but Final Four is my "floor goal" every year and Championship are my "ceiling goal". Not much room there. Getting passed a Final four and winning a title is awesome but if UK team makes it the Final Four, that's a successful season.

They really haven't had anywhere close to the same level of success.

 

Cal has been far more successful, and I loved Tubby, and was not happy when he left.

 

Agreed, Cal has won more simple as that. Tubby's recruiting had clearly fallen off at the end and he wasn't a top tier coach at that point which is why he ended up at Minnesota.

It's extremely subjective as well, but Calipari brings more notoriety to the program. He moves the needle in college basketball.

This is kind of a silly question. When Tubby was run out of town his teams just weren’t very good. Just mediocre and no where near Final 4 caliber. Cals teams are always talented enough to make a run at the end of the year.

A couple more years of teams like this one and the fan base will start to get restless with Cal. Already starting to hear the whispers about it now.

Certainly "Final Four" is an arbitrary line, but it is a line used by most at Kentucky, Duke, North Carolina, Kansas, Louisville, etc.

 

It makes sense. I just don't value FF's as much as you guys.

It makes sense. I just don't value FF's as much as you guys.

 

They hang banners for Final Fours. I think that is why so much is put into them.

They hang banners for Final Fours. I think that is why so much is put into them.

 

I had a UK guy tell me once that they don't do that in Lexington... I told him then he'd never been to Rupp. :lol2:

It makes sense. I just don't value FF's as much as you guys.

 

Even without the FF's Cal has won at a much greater rate than Tubby did. I love Tubby and was mad when he left, but by any measure Cal has done more.

 

If you don't value FF's are titles all that matter to you? You'd just as soon lose in 1st, 2nd, 3rd or 4th round than advance to the Final Four...I don't think many fans of elite schools would agree with that. But hey that's your opinion, so that's cool.

Even without the FF's Cal has won at a much greater rate than Tubby did. I love Tubby and was mad when he left, but by any measure Cal has done more.

 

If you don't value FF's are titles all that matter to you? You'd just as soon lose in 1st, 2nd, 3rd or 4th round than advance to the Final Four...I don't think many fans of elite schools would agree with that. But hey that's your opinion, so that's cool.

 

I definitely don't subscribe to the idea that it's not a successful season if they don't make a Final Four. I'd say most seasons, I'd consider making it to the second weekend a successful one. Anything past that is gravy. Obviously in years when you'd have a really good team I'd probably adjust the scale. The biggest disconnect for me in this specific debate is a Final Four doesn't mean any more to me than an Elite Eight. Sure, you're one game farther, but you still didn't win the 'ship.

Also, I'm an eternal pessimist when it comes to my teams, so, factor that in to my reasoning.

I had a UK guy tell me once that they don't do that in Lexington... I told him then he'd never been to Rupp. :lol2:

 

I think they only hang championship banners at the Craft Center. Maybe that's what he meant.

FF's are for sure the deciding factor with me. You're playing on the last weekend of the season. Lot's of exposure to the masses. That's sweet.

For me (and as much as I liked Tubby) - He was left a gold mine and a program just coming off a NC game (and a title the year before). Then it slowly worked its way down to average.

 

Calipari to a below average program that was getting worse and brought in bottled-lightening. Recruits, showmanship, statesmenship with the people of the Commonwealth and the media. Elite Eight run with freshmen and a new approach to the game and recruiting to a FF then National Title. Save the 1 year and he has teams that were in contention in Final Fours, and NC games. Not to mention achieving the best record for Men's basketball in a season (38-1).