When did The Modern Era of cbb begin in your opinion?
- Thread starter Yet Another UK Fan
- Start date
I'm guessing the OP doesn't realize what's hilarious about that sentence. 🤣
Consensus is 1985. That's when the NCAA tournament went to 64 teams. I think that makes the most sense.
Just curious as to why. It changed nothing about the game, just the champion had to win a minimum of 6 games. It’s also not even the most recent format because we have a first 4. The three point line wasn’t even fully implemented yet.
I think there were a lot of rule changes that have happened since that have completely changed the game more than going from 32 to 64 teams at the end of the year.
There were a few things that happened in short order:
- The tournament went to 64 teams, eliminating first round byes
- The shot clock was universally implemented in 1985 after being experimented with for a few seasons in a few conferences
- There was some experimentation with the 3 pt line in 1985 and it was universally adopted it in 1986
Correct. I asked for opinion and so far they differ. Going to go out on a limb and predict that continues.
"Not some arbitrary stat or chart," yet you're asking for arbitrary takes.
AAU changed the game
Transfer portal changed the game
NIL changed the game
Spread offense changed the game
One-and-done changed the game
Parity changed the game
Shoe companies changed the game
To me, it's 2010. Heck, I think it could even be 2016-ish. That’s when we started really seeing offenses spread the court. It’s the Steph Curry affect.
Just because the NCAAT bracket was created, doesn't mean it should have it's own era and it doesn’t mean an era should last 40 years and ignore all the other changes that have taken place. Does this 1985 era last to infinity?
I mean, in the 80's, it was all about running the offense through the post, now, it's all about playing for the 3 point shot. The games are nothing alike.
Today's game is ten times different than it was in the 80's.
Transfer portal changed the game
NIL changed the game
Spread offense changed the game
One-and-done changed the game
Parity changed the game
Shoe companies changed the game
To me, it's 2010. Heck, I think it could even be 2016-ish. That’s when we started really seeing offenses spread the court. It’s the Steph Curry affect.
Just because the NCAAT bracket was created, doesn't mean it should have it's own era and it doesn’t mean an era should last 40 years and ignore all the other changes that have taken place. Does this 1985 era last to infinity?
I mean, in the 80's, it was all about running the offense through the post, now, it's all about playing for the 3 point shot. The games are nothing alike.
Today's game is ten times different than it was in the 80's.
I miss the 80’s, and even the 90’s. Big men imposed their will and didn’t try to be finesse jumpshooters and 3-point specialists.
Some people say the 70s. Some say the 80s.
Not sure why it matters so much to ppl (not saying you, just ppl in general). Everyone is playing with the same rules regardless of what era they played in.
Not like one team is playing with a three pt line and transfer portal, while the other team isn't.
Seems like fans of teams that have only found the majority of success in the current era use this as an argument to try and discredit the accomplishments of programs who have found a lot of success in all eras. Strange flex, to say the least.
Here are the results from the poll I created two years ago. 54% of posters said 1985.
You stopped at 1987. Pretty hard for me to watch replays of those games and call it modern.
Here are the results from the poll I created two years ago. 54% of posters said 1985.
Even cable Tv and prevalence of games on TV changed recruiting.
I mean, the only people freaking out about what constitutes the modern era are you and a few fellow Kentucky fans. Notice who started this thread?
I think all time is what matters. It’s just hard for me to call 1980s college basketball modern.
Shot clock going from 45 to 35 and then 30 also impacted the game.
The last few years there has been an emphasis on player freedom of movement, which has changed things further.
Maybe 85 is just easier to draw a line, but the game has changed so much in each of the last few decades. That isn’t to say I don’t appreciate the game from the 80s. It’s just very different.
Dude, stop talking about UK fans. You do it almost every post. It is so cringeworthy. It has gotten to the point where it is borderline creepy. There must be something else you can talk about besides UK fans/Rupp Rafters. Seriously, it is so freakin weird.
I mean, the options are extremely limited. You have nothing past 1987, so yeah, there are pretty good odds that one if those 80's years was going to get more votes.
Here are the results from the poll I created two years ago. 54% of posters said 1985.
The game is totally different now than it was in the 80's, it's not even close.
Just the change in the shot clock alone changed the speed of the game.
AAU changed the game, NIL changed the game, shoe companies changed the game. Look at the parity now. We have 16 seeds beating 1 seeds and mid majors getting to final 4's.
To me, the modern era started with tge beginning of AAU, which coincides very closely with one-and-done, 68 teans in the ncaat and shoe company involvement.
The transfer portal and NIL should also be considered too, those 2 things have totally changed the game.
The game is always evolving. I don't think the modern era suddenly begin with the latest development, though.
Feel free to create a new poll and see if it renders different results.
The shot clock was introduced during the 85-86 season.
AAU has been around forever.
Transfer Portal and NIL are big, yes. But I don't know if it significantly alters the product on the court.
Higher resolution on your TV. You're good.
Yes, the game is always evolving. 1985 and 2024 aren't going to look the same. But, three big things occurred between 1985-1987: 64-team tournament, shot clock, and the 3-point line. All those changes in a small-period of time is the closest I can find when considering a starting point for the origins of the modern era. And I would underscore the word origins. I wouldn't expect the origins of the modern era to be a carbon copy of the present day.
But, can we at least concede that the gap between 1946 and 1985 (39 years) is much, much, much bigger than the gap between 1985 and 2024 (39 years). Different stratospheres, IMO.
When I brought up shot clock, I didn't mean when it was invented, I meant when it was changed to 30 seconds in 2015.
On the last point, yes, a bigger gap. Sure. But that doesn’t mean there isn’t a big gap with the last 39 either. But that does lead me to the next question, at what point does the modern era stop being the modern era? 50 years? 60? Assuming that they don’t change the tournament format and we continue to have a 3 point line in some capacity then it will just continue on forever?
I sort of see it as a lot of different eras happening since then (like generations). There was a one and done era that started when the NBA started forcing guys to go to school and now we’re in an NIL era, which has completely changed the off court game and how coaches have to construct rosters and maybe even simplify offensive schemes since guys aren’t staying even if they aren’t NBA one/done talent.
But I do agree with you that it will constantly be evolving, which is why it’s sort of a practice in futility to draw those lines anyway.
I’m 40, so I’m good with my entire fandom being “modern”, but I do think eventually enough time will have elapsed where it just becomes harder and harder to continue to paint it all with the same brush, especially as the game continues to evolve.
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The only ERA that matters is the now ERA. Why? Because it is the only one people watch and the only one that counts and can be affected.
What did I say that was wrong? Who else has been whining about it?
You’ve made references to KU fans several times and even brought us up in this thread. Hence my post.
You guys are ultra sensitive, aren’t you? Ah, damn, I’ve gone and done it again!
Reducing it from 45 to 35 seconds in the 93-94 season was a bigger deal than form 35 to 30 seconds, though.
You gotta be freaking kidding me. People are asking for a starting point. Nobody was trying to break this into different eras. Obviously the 1980's are different than the 2020's. We could break it into different eras if we wanted to go that direction. But, if we're simply dissecting college basketball into the old era and the modern era, and asking for a starting point? Well, you got to start somewhere.
Its not modern. But that wasn't the question. Its when did it start.
We’re literally talking about the start of the modern era. Where's the confusion? In my opinion, the start of the modern era is not any year in the 80's or 90's.
Either way, the modern basketball era didn’t start in the 80's.
Seems like we need to set some parameters.
What type? What decade ? 1990's?----Why?. 2000's---Why? 2010's---why? 2020's?
Most experts, analysis, pundits, and fans have long considered 1985 as the start of the modern era. Why are they wrong?
Is it a new start of modern era after every rule change?
Do we count the evolvement of players , more so than rule changes?
How about the era of instant replay? Freshman being able to play? Remember the rule where you had to advance the ball past the 28 foot hash? What about the 3 point shot? Shot clock----and the changes made?
There has to be "A" start. Not multiple starts, but "A" start. So what decade put us on the path where we are today?
From what I understand, AAU started much sooner than 1988, but it seemed like it became a really big deal in the 2000's, but that could just be me not being as connected.
Why didn't it? Maybe we could start with 1972-1990. Changes were immense. Freshman became eligible. You no longer had to win your conference to get in....Tournament expanded to 64 teams....3 point shot was introduced...First used in the NCAAT in 1987. TV deals exploded in the late 70's, into the 80's. NCAAT became a household commodity in the 80's....ESPN then steps in...Selection show starts.... Shot clock changes.
Where we are today, started somewhere. My best guess? The 1980's. Why? Because its when NBC started airing the NCAAT....then CBS took over, and aired the entire tournament. Selection Show....AAU(1988). The game we see today, those changes started in the 80's----And its due to the fact of the exposure the game started to get in the late 70's, and then exploding in the 80's.
I know most people will disagree, but I think Steph Curry changed the way the game is played today. I think out of all the changes that have happened over the years, his style of play spread the court and created more scoring.
That’s my vote
A few days ago, Jeff claimed that not a single person would agree that the modern era started in ‘85. Today he’s the ultimate authority on the subject.
There's more athletesism, more parity, more money, offense moved away from the post , one-and-done etc…
No, you can create an era for every change, but damn, the game is so different now.
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