Blue Blood Debate

Cougar Basketball
1

No we haven’t.

You gotta win multiple national titles and have decades of sustained high level success to be a blue blood.

In basketball, there are only FIVE:

UNC
Duke
Kansas
Kentucky
UCLA

We may have have attained “powerhouse” status, but we are nowhere close to “blue blood” status.

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2

I can agree with that statement. Also, the money big monies these universities have when it comes to their basketball program.

3

Fair enough. I can get with that. My point was in this current climate, we can recruit nationally for any recruit we really want and have a viable chance to land him. That’s what I’m getting at.
1-winning conference championships
2-March Madness threat
3-putting players in the NBA
That’s what players want.

Nate

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4

I really feel Connecticut belongs with them - 1999, 2004, 2011, 2014, 2023, 2024 - six titles in 26 tries. Littered the NBA with talent from Uncle Cliff to Kemba Walker. Cache all around.

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5

UConn is what might be called a “New Blood” though.

Their history of success isn’t as long or storied as those other five.

6

You already giving them this year?

7

they’re a new blood regardless of what happens in arizona but only way i see them not finishing the job is if the ncaa wants to drive home that “ultimate redemption arc” lol

8

Uh oh… you’ve upset the literal technicality monitors. “Ackshually we’re not a blue blood…” :nerd_face:

Everyone with common sense knew what you were saying.

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9

If they win the title again this year, it’ll be pretty hard to exclude them. They’ve already got the most titles this century and that likely isn’t changing anytime soon.

10

Again, that’s only ONE generation.

Blue bloods have multi-generational success.

11

Better move Duke off your list then. They only have 5 championships across 25 years, identical to UConn.

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12

I’m glad you brought it up lol…that’s only one generation of success. Tsk tsk only a powerhouse. But seriously making arbitrary distinctions about an amorphous concept of elite that will shift and change over time is a fool’s errand.

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13

Well technically it’s two generations. UConn has won a title with three consecutive coaches. The only other program that can make that claim is Kentucky. If Hurley gets his 2nd one this year they’ll be only the 3rd program to win multiple titles under two different coaches (Indiana and UNC are the other two). I’m not saying they’ll be a consensus blue blood over night but if they keep winning titles it’s going to change the conversation. It already has to some extent.

14

Ahh but fools errands are great for passing time during the off season lol

15

But they have MANY MORE Final Fours, across MULTIPLE generations.

Compare:

Duke: 17 Final Fours from 1963-present.

UConn: 7 Final Fours, all since 1999.

See the difference?

Duke = Blue Blood

UConn = NEW Blood

Unlike the five BLUE Bloods, UConn does NOT have a multi-generational history of high level success.

THAT is what is required for blue blood status.

Dig?

16

Is this the official uhlaw97 blue blood requirements or is it ncaa sanctioned?

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17

UCLA blue blood? This isn’t 1975 when were they last relevant?

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18

UCLA has won a national championship and been to 7 final fours since 1975. Also sweet sixteens in 3 of last 4 years.

They aren’t what they once were but hardly irrelevant.

19

They made a Final Four just a few years ago (2021).

Sounds relevant to me!

Also, 15 Final Fours since 1961 including at least four this millennium.

DEFINITELY blue blood.

MULTI-GENERATIONAL high level success.

20

Last won a title 30 years ago in 1995, 20 years after their glory days before 1975. Lots of teams have had more consistent success in last 30 years