The Butler Might Do It
If the Butler Bulldogs win two more games this weekend and take the National Championship, we would be hard pressed to think of a bigger upset in any sport in our collective lives as sports fans.
People of advanced lineage can always point to North Carolina State and Villanova winning national titles in 1983 and 1985 as massive upsets, but an honest appraisal of those two memorable clubs shows underachievers for much of the year that put their games together just in time for a tournament run. Think about it: NC State had Thurl Bailey, a fine NBA player for years with the Jazz, Lorenzo Charles was a bad ass college player, Cozell McQeen was the worst starter and he was a big body who did his job. The guards were better than Houston's, as Sidney Lowe and Dereck Whittneburg could play with anyone. Compare them with that Houston team they beat, which was known as Phi Slamma Jamma and of of the great college teams, but as far as NBA impact only Clyde Drexler and, of course, Akeem made any noise. So that's one good pro against two great ones. The talent differential wasn't that great. The same goes for Villanova beating Georgetown. People seem hung up on how big an upset that supposedly was, but that just ain't true if you match them up man for man. Pat Ewing and Reggie Williams were the only NBA players on the Hoyas. The Wildcats had Harold Pressley, a first rounder by Sacramento, and Ed Pinckney, who was a first rounder and long time pro. Dwayne McClain was another bad ass college player, like Charles, who never made The Association. And Gary McLain was a fine point guard despite being high that game. An honest appraisal shows that Villanova had as much talent as Georgetown. Heck, maybe John Thompson should be given more credit for coaching the shit out of that team and getting Ewing to three Monday Nights in four years. Thompson may be the most underrated great coach in recent times. He just didn't have all that much talent in the Ewing Era and still kicked serious ass.
Turning to Butler now, they only have one pro on the roster, and Gordon Hayward will be a pick in the 20s when he comes out. He's a terrific player who has a chance to be a real good pro, but does not ooze athleticism (And no, that's not just because he's white. He just isn't that athletic, though a better jumper and runner than just about any other white collegian.). Matt Howard has zero chance to play in the NBA. Butler's guards are good but they aren't deep. I don't see them getting pass Izzo's meatgrinder of a team, though we'll be rooting for them.
Having put to rest the Nova and NC State myths, we here at Apartment 404 are only coming up with the 1969 Mets and the 2003 Florida Marlins as huge upset winners. The Mets were the worst franchise in sports for their entire history up to winning the WS that year over a great Orioles team. The Marlins came out of nowhere to beat a good but not great Yankee team. Beckett got hot at just the right time. Their payroll was almost nonexistent. But they got hot at the right time and became champs: now that was an upset.
No, Butler as a 5 seed and coming from the Horizon League winning the NCAA title would be quite a big fricking deal. Almost unprecedented.
People of advanced lineage can always point to North Carolina State and Villanova winning national titles in 1983 and 1985 as massive upsets, but an honest appraisal of those two memorable clubs shows underachievers for much of the year that put their games together just in time for a tournament run. Think about it: NC State had Thurl Bailey, a fine NBA player for years with the Jazz, Lorenzo Charles was a bad ass college player, Cozell McQeen was the worst starter and he was a big body who did his job. The guards were better than Houston's, as Sidney Lowe and Dereck Whittneburg could play with anyone. Compare them with that Houston team they beat, which was known as Phi Slamma Jamma and of of the great college teams, but as far as NBA impact only Clyde Drexler and, of course, Akeem made any noise. So that's one good pro against two great ones. The talent differential wasn't that great. The same goes for Villanova beating Georgetown. People seem hung up on how big an upset that supposedly was, but that just ain't true if you match them up man for man. Pat Ewing and Reggie Williams were the only NBA players on the Hoyas. The Wildcats had Harold Pressley, a first rounder by Sacramento, and Ed Pinckney, who was a first rounder and long time pro. Dwayne McClain was another bad ass college player, like Charles, who never made The Association. And Gary McLain was a fine point guard despite being high that game. An honest appraisal shows that Villanova had as much talent as Georgetown. Heck, maybe John Thompson should be given more credit for coaching the shit out of that team and getting Ewing to three Monday Nights in four years. Thompson may be the most underrated great coach in recent times. He just didn't have all that much talent in the Ewing Era and still kicked serious ass.
Turning to Butler now, they only have one pro on the roster, and Gordon Hayward will be a pick in the 20s when he comes out. He's a terrific player who has a chance to be a real good pro, but does not ooze athleticism (And no, that's not just because he's white. He just isn't that athletic, though a better jumper and runner than just about any other white collegian.). Matt Howard has zero chance to play in the NBA. Butler's guards are good but they aren't deep. I don't see them getting pass Izzo's meatgrinder of a team, though we'll be rooting for them.
Having put to rest the Nova and NC State myths, we here at Apartment 404 are only coming up with the 1969 Mets and the 2003 Florida Marlins as huge upset winners. The Mets were the worst franchise in sports for their entire history up to winning the WS that year over a great Orioles team. The Marlins came out of nowhere to beat a good but not great Yankee team. Beckett got hot at just the right time. Their payroll was almost nonexistent. But they got hot at the right time and became champs: now that was an upset.
No, Butler as a 5 seed and coming from the Horizon League winning the NCAA title would be quite a big fricking deal. Almost unprecedented.
posted by joe sweeney at 5:31 AM
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