It's pretty cool there are 3 Blue Bloods in the AP top 10
- Thread starter hawkit3113
- Start date
3 of the 5 remaining bluebloods is probably about average over the last decade.
All just my worthless opinion, but … I do love college basketball history:
Clear Blue Bloods are UK, UNC, UCLA, KU and Duke … roughly in that order of historical prestige, in my view.
I then think Indiana and Louisville are too similar historically to not be grouped together. If you want to call IU a Blue Blood, I guess I’m fine with that … but I think UL is, also.
Then there’s a next tier of programs that have a very elite tradition but could probably not ascend in our lifetimes or ever, simply due to how ingrained the current group is in everyone’s minds. Michigan State, Arizona, UConn, Syracuse, etc.
Certain programs like Michigan, Illinois, Georgetown, Villanova, Purdue, Cincinnati, Arkansas, etc. have had stretches where they’ve easily been good enough to be counted as in this tier but either have one issue holding them back (like 0 NCs for Illinois or only 2 Final Fours for Purdue) or have had long enough stretches of being bad that their historical consistency doesn’t measure up in terms of all-time winning pctg., NCAAT appearances, weeks in the AP Poll, etc. (like Michigan’s awful stretch and meh all-time winning pctg.).
Then come your Iowas.
Honestly pretty decent traditions, but haven’t produced many elite teams in modern history and have lacked consistency for long stretches.
All just my worthless opinion, but … I do love college basketball history:
Clear Blue Bloods are UK, UNC, UCLA, KU and Duke … roughly in that order of historical prestige, in my view.
I then think Indiana and Louisville are too similar historically to not be grouped together. If you want to call IU a Blue Blood, I guess I’m fine with that … but I think UL is, also.
Then there’s a next tier of programs that have a very elite tradition but could probably not ascend in our lifetimes or ever, simply due to how ingrained the current group is in everyone’s minds. Michigan State, Arizona, UConn, Syracuse, etc.
Certain programs like Michigan, Illinois, Georgetown, Villanova, Purdue, Cincinnati, Arkansas, etc. have had stretches where they’ve easily been good enough to be counted as in this tier but either have one issue holding them back (like 0 NCs for Illinois or only 2 Final Fours for Purdue) or have had long enough stretches of being bad that their historical consistency doesn’t measure up in terms of all-time winning pctg., NCAAT appearances, weeks in the AP Poll, etc. (like Michigan’s awful stretch and meh all-time winning pctg.).
Then come your Iowas.
UK
UCLA
Duke
UNC
Indiana, barely
I think he meant that having 3 Blue Bloods in the top 10 is about what we’d expect - and therefore “average.”
Honestly, I could make an argument for just 4 (Duke, UK, KU and UNC) but it's hard to leave UCLA out. They have 11 fvcking titles and have been to four Final Fours in the last 15 years.
I don't see any others. I know IU has 5 titles (and I wish we had one) but I can't call someone a blueblood that's been to just one Final Four in the last 30 years and it was 20 years ago.
I'll add that it's pretty easy to support my thoughts using @dukedevilz top programs of all time analysis. There is a pretty clear dropoff after the top 5. In fact, there is a bigger gap between 5 and 6 that there is between 6 and 19 (and 19 is freaking Utah).
I'll add that it's pretty easy to support my thoughts using @dukedevilz top programs of all time analysis. There is a pretty clear dropoff after the top 5. In fact, there is a bigger gap between 5 and 6 that there is between 6 and 19 (and 19 is freaking Utah).
That was my initial ranking. I added a few more metrics, which I think strengthened the rankings a bit. San Francisco dropped out of the top 25.
But yes, a sizeable gap between 5th and 6th. Louisville actually jumped Indiana on my updated rankings.
Here's what the top 15 might look like with gaps...
Kentucky
UCLA
North Carolina
Duke
Kansas
Louisville
Indiana
UConn
Villanova
Ohio State
Michigan State
Michigan
Cincinnati, Syracuse
Arizona
Kentucky
UCLA
North Carolina
Duke
Kansas
Louisville
Indiana
UConn
Villanova
Ohio State
Michigan State
Michigan
Cincinnati, Syracuse
Arizona
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The fact that you asked about auburn in this thread means I have done my job on here. I own youWhere's Auburn?
Did I say they aren't? Perhaps you should work on your reading comprehension skills.
The plaque for the alternates is in the ladies room, hawkit.
Lol. I’d say KU being #2 all time winning
31 consecutive tourney appearances - #1 by a mile
5 natties
broke ucla league title run
in fact should be #1 program all time arguably
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