UConn is a Blue Blood

[HuskyBaggins]

UConn was crowned on Monday night in a coronation that verified once and for all the status of this college hoops powerhouse.

It was debatable heading into the Final Four.

It's undeniable now.

The Huskies have as many national championships as Duke. And Indiana. They have more than Kansas, Villanova, Louisville and on and on.

This is a blue blood program. If you needed a fifth title and a 5-0 record in national championship games to believe it, then believe it. No program has a better record on the ultimate stage — no one is even close. When UConn gets to the first Monday in April, it wins.

Seems the 5th title in the last 24 cemented it for most people. Kind of like when people were debating who the greatest QB of all time was. When Brady had 5 Super Bowl championships, and even 6, there were some who said Montana was better. Once Brady won his 7th there was no debate.

Now elite, UConn joins college basketball's blue-blood programs after winning its fifth NCAA Tournament title

Only UCLA, Kentucky and North Carolina have won more national championships than the Huskies after they won the 2023 NCAA Tournament

www.cbssports.com

It wasn't so much the "number" for Brady as it was the team. He did it on team without Belichik for a franchise that has been mostly terrible

 

[Umami Zen]

I was driving to a customer of mine this morning at about 7:45-8:15 for an 8:30 appointment. I was listening in on Babs and Evan on Mad Dog Sirius and their question was "Is UConn a Blue Blood". Well a UNC fan called in said not close, a Hoosier fan called in not close, UCLA, Kentucky same response. Now Babs was calling us a Blue Blood and disagreeing with Evan and those callers.

Well I had time, I called in and got on I wasn't happy and was very passionate.. Babs loves me and Evan said this "guy from mass made some very valid points which we haven't discussed as of yet...". Basically asked does a Blue Blood need to be 50-60 years of success, and what was the parity in basketball when Adolph Rupp and John Wooden were coaching? They also were relegated to UConns last 25 years I changed the vision for them to the last 33 years despite no FF until '99. Explaied the Dream Season and how close, how close when UCLA won their only one in the last 25 -30 years and pointed out how much better wer have been overall than any other Big East team overall since '90. Elite 8s up the ying yang, 17-1, 16-2 years and #1 and #2 seedings quite often through our heyday of the 90s-2000s. Explained the reason the Indiana guys, the UNC guys and the Kentucky guys say no is because we own them now. We beat tham as well as Duke when it counts - WE ARE A BLUE BLOOD period!

All true and glad you took the time to call in.. The Blue Blood argument should have been dead a long time ago.. Yarders/press will point to 1999 forward as a benchmark--as they should.. Since 1985 (expansion of Tournament to 64 teams) argument still holds up.. Prior to 1975.. When NIT was a viable Tournament option and when March Madness was a 32 or 16 team Tournament--frequently with home court advantages for favored teams..The path to Championship was much easier/simpler (Wooden years)..

It makes UConn's ascendancy and legacy that much more impressive.. No CBB team has our winning percentage once in FF and in Championship games.. ..No one.

 

[Waquoit]

.. Yarders/press will point to 1999 forward as a benchmark--as they should..

I say 1990.

 

[amory]

the Blue Blood club just exists for fans to gatekeep. It's not a real thing.

anyone with a shred of objectivity includes UConn among the best basketball programs. and we've gotten there despite the rural campus, the conference chaos, the down years under Ollie, etc. despite all of it the program has endured. And it's a more impressive and interesting story than Duke, Kansas, Kentucky, or anyone else has.

 

[Husky25]

Haha this idiot.

"I'm not knockin'em." - Rob Parker.

Yes you are, Rob. That's your schtick. I don't know how he still has a audience, because he knocks on everyone. I suppose he's a sports entertainment provocateur, but it is so transparent.

No, UConn didn't beat a 1 seed, but they beat three teams that did. Two factors contributed to UConn's 5th title that were totally outside their control. 1) The Selection Committee did a sub-par job this go-'round, and 2) The 1s didn't take care of their own business. Heck, 3/4 of my Final 4, didn't make the second week.

Granted the brackets are set before the final AP poll is released, but they can't even fall back on that. In the week 18 poll, UConn and KSU were #11 and #12, respectively. UConn went 1-1 in the BET, up one spot to #10, and ended up on the 4 line. KSU lost in the BXIIT (after losing the week prior as well), was ranked #15 entering the Tournament, but maintained their higher seed. Ironically, if UConn was properly seeded, their chances of winning decrease.

Talking heads also still don't account for the increasing parity or that recruiting is ever evolving. Information has increased exponentially since the the 90's (Internet), let alone from 50-60 years ago when Sam Gilbert's money was taking care of Kareem, Bill Walton, and Gale Goodrich. For instance, what are the chances that a player like Johnell Powell ends up in Boca vs. IUPUI or Valpo in 1996? Not only has AAU exploded, there is so much coverage, that coaches on a tighter budget can still research recruits from their office. Now even consider the game changers that are NIL or the transfer portal, of which we are just seeing the scratches upon the surface. Gone are the days where one may just pencil in the 1s and 2s straight to the Sweet 16.

 

[storrsroars]

Wow Rob Parker is a moron lol!

I have zero issue with anyone saying we're not a "blue blood". The only category where UConn is in the top 10 is NCs. Not appearances, not SS, not EE, not FF, not championship games. Only titles.

The question to ask is: "Why does "blue blood" mean so much to UConn fans?" We already have enough hardware to have proven our worth.

Personally, I think it's really only four teams that merit "blue blood" status: UK, KU, UNC, UCLA. Duke is just about as "new money" as we are as they were meaningless prior to K. But they've only missed one tourney since he got there. They're like the Warren Buffet on the list.

Other than Duke's late entry to the club, I think the criteria for "blue blood" is fairly well denoted: 30+ Sweet Sixteens, 20+ Elite Eights, 15+ Final Fours, 10+ NC games, at least 4 NCs. Only five teams meet that, the true blue bloods and Duke.

For me, Indiana fell out of the club. They squandered their inheritance.

And one other thing... the term is absolutely meaningless in the context of the current college basketball environment.

 

[Husky25]

I have zero issue with anyone saying we're not a "blue blood". The only category where UConn is in the top 10 is NCs. Not appearances, not SS, not EE, not FF, not championship games. Only titles.

The question to ask is: "Why does "blue blood" mean so much to UConn fans?" We already have enough hardware to have proven our worth.

Personally, I think it's really only four teams that merit "blue blood" status: UK, KU, UNC, UCLA. Duke is just about as "new money" as we are as they were meaningless prior to K. But they've only missed one tourney since he got there. They're like the Warren Buffet on the list.

Other than Duke's late entry to the club, I think the criteria for "blue blood" is fairly well denoted: 30+ Sweet Sixteens, 20+ Elite Eights, 15+ Final Fours, 10+ NC games, at least 4 NCs. Only five teams meet that, the true blue bloods and Duke.

For me, Indiana fell out of the club. They squandered their inheritance.

And one other thing... the term is absolutely meaningless in the context of the current college basketball environment.

Embrace the Nouveau Riche.

 

[HooperScooper]

Another vote for being a Blue Blood from Pat Forde.

In subduing the determined San Diego State, 76–59, on Monday, the championship lineage continues. With a fifth national title under a third coach since 1999, UConn’s utter rampage through the bracket in this NCAA tournament firms up blueblood status. The Huskies separated themselves from the pack this postseason, winning six games by lopsided margins and, in the process, have separated themselves from any other program in the past quarter century.

College sports can be weirdly resistant to rising programs that challenge tradition, but there is no way to ignore or minimize what the Huskies have done. The list of Cadillac programs in the history of the sport must include UConn.

They’ve earned their title mementos. And Connecticut men’s basketball has earned its prominent place on the very short list of the blueblood programs in the sport.

https://www.si.com/college/2023/04/04/march-madness-mens-ncaa-tournament-uconn-dominance-daily-cover

 

[storrsroars]

Another vote for being a Blue Blood from Pat Forde.

In subduing the determined San Diego State, 76–59, on Monday, the championship lineage continues. With a fifth national title under a third coach since 1999, UConn’s utter rampage through the bracket in this NCAA tournament firms up blueblood status. The Huskies separated themselves from the pack this postseason, winning six games by lopsided margins and, in the process, have separated themselves from any other program in the past quarter century.

College sports can be weirdly resistant to rising programs that challenge tradition, but there is no way to ignore or minimize what the Huskies have done. The list of Cadillac programs in the history of the sport must include UConn.

They’ve earned their title mementos. And Connecticut men’s basketball has earned its prominent place on the very short list of the blueblood programs in the sport.

https://www.si.com/college/2023/04/04/march-madness-mens-ncaa-tournament-uconn-dominance-daily-cover

Blue bloods drive Cadillacs. We're driving Ferraris.

 

[UCONNRPh]

I have zero issue with anyone saying we're not a "blue blood". The only category where UConn is in the top 10 is NCs. Not appearances, not SS, not EE, not FF, not championship games. Only titles.

The question to ask is: "Why does "blue blood" mean so much to UConn fans?" We already have enough hardware to have proven our worth.

Personally, I think it's really only four teams that merit "blue blood" status: UK, KU, UNC, UCLA. Duke is just about as "new money" as we are as they were meaningless prior to K. But they've only missed one tourney since he got there. They're like the Warren Buffet on the list.

Other than Duke's late entry to the club, I think the criteria for "blue blood" is fairly well denoted: 30+ Sweet Sixteens, 20+ Elite Eights, 15+ Final Fours, 10+ NC games, at least 4 NCs. Only five teams meet that, the true blue bloods and Duke.

For me, Indiana fell out of the club. They squandered their inheritance.

And one other thing... the term is absolutely meaningless in the context of the current college basketball environment.

I loved hearing Bilas say that the " Blue Bloods" are old to college basketball just like the Vanderbilts and Gettys are to American Business.......... He then said UConn is the present and future just like Gates and Musk! (don't quote be verbatim)

 

[UCTitleTown]

Something popped into my head that might be cool. The USWNT in soccer adds a star to the crest on their jersey whenever they win a World Cup. I think it would be cool to do something like that on the UConn men's jerseys. I know in the case of USWNT, it also drives additional jersey sales because fans want the newest one, and could do the same for UConn. If not on the jerseys, maybe in the striping on the shorts or something?

 

[87Xfer]

This'll keep you up and hard for a while.

who's that on the right with dreds and Oakleys at 0:58?

 

[UConn990411]

I say 1990.

This.

I keep seeing people say UConn has “only” been a great program for 25 years, but the correct number is 33. They also have Sweet 16s and Elite Eights dating back to the 1950s and 1960s, so there’s at least some historical success to point to in the longevity argument.

It’s to the point where the arguments against UConn being a blue blood are funny. For some reason, Indiana gets a lot of credit for its titles from 40+ years ago and Kansas is looked at favorably for consistently choking in the Final Four. People can prop them up all they want, but I would never trade UConn’s resume for theirs.

 

[huskiesNhoos]

Something popped into my head that might be cool. The USWNT in soccer adds a star to the crest on their jersey whenever they win a World Cup. I think it would be cool to do something like that on the UConn men's jerseys. I know in the case of USWNT, it also drives additional jersey sales because fans want the newest one, and could do the same for UConn. If not on the jerseys, maybe in the striping on the shorts or something?

They did that on the jerseys around '11. My kemba jersey has stars on the pattern on back for the 3 NCs

 

[87Xfer]

"I'm not knockin'em." - Rob Parker.

Yes you are, Rob. That's your schtick. I don't know how he still has a audience, because he knocks on everyone. I suppose he's a sports entertainment provocateur, but it is so transparent.

No, UConn didn't beat a 1 seed, but they beat three teams that did. Two factors contributed to UConn's 5th title that were totally outside their control. 1) The Selection Committee did a sub-par job this go-'round, and 2) The 1s didn't take care of their own business. Heck, 3/4 of my Final 4, didn't make the second week.

Granted the brackets are set before the final AP poll is released, but they can't even fall back on that. In the week 18 poll, UConn and KSU were #11 and #12, respectively. UConn went 1-1 in the BET, up one spot to #10, and ended up on the 4 line. KSU lost in the BXIIT (after losing the week prior as well), was ranked #15 entering the Tournament, but maintained their higher seed. Ironically, if UConn was properly seeded, their chances of winning decrease.

Talking heads also still don't account for the increasing parity or that recruiting is ever evolving. Information has increased exponentially since the the 90's (Internet), let alone from 50-60 years ago when Sam Gilbert's money was taking care of Kareem, Bill Walton, and Gale Goodrich. For instance, what are the chances that a player like Johnell Powell ends up in Boca vs. IUPUI or Valpo in 1996? Not only has AAU exploded, there is so much coverage, that coaches on a tighter budget can still research recruits from their office. Now even consider the game changers that are NIL or the transfer portal, of which we are just seeing the scratches upon the surface. Gone are the days where one may just pencil in the 1s and 2s straight to the Sweet 16.

who is he? honest question.

 

[87Xfer]

The question to ask is: "Why does "blue blood" mean so much to UConn fans?"

it means absolutely zero to me. it's a way for people who have their hierarchy based on basketball 40+ years ago to feel superior. that's great for them. have at it.

how many of the people on social media arguing about "who's a blue blood" watched a college basketball game before 1990? look at anything close to recent history, and the story tells itself.

 

[MilliniumPrince]

Wow Rob Parker is a moron lol!

Being a moron is his thing

 

[bendm]

Jay Williams doesn't include Kentucky on Mt. Rushmore of college basketball blue bloods

Is Kentucky still a college basketball blue blood? ESPN analyst Jay Williams no longer includes the Cats on his Mount Rushmore of blue bloods in the sport.

www.on3.com