Calipari to Arkansas

[mrydel]

I certainly do not want to get into an argument about a team for which I do not care, but using your own list, Arkansas ranks 9th in trips to the final four. As I said earlier, there is a formula used and I do not know exactly how it is applied. Perhaps it was done by an Arkansas Alum who wanted his school to look good. But regardless of what folks think, Arkansas ranks high on the "tradition" list of college basketball. They do not hold a candle to the likes of UCLA, Kentucky, NC, Duke, Kansas, and Indiana, but they are high in the 2nd tier of historically ranked teams.

And yes Stallion is correct that the primary "tradition" started with Sutton and continued with Richardson, but those were several good, strong years that they had. Much more so than the Phi Jamma Slamma age of Houston.

Now please, if I could take it all back I would. I do not want to argue the "greatness" of Arkansas. I have to hear it every day. Let us just hope that someday SMU will return to where it should be in BB and FB.

[Danny Noonan]

No way is Ark top ten in all-time basketball. They had that big year with Richardson and Williamson and that is about it. They compare with the essentailly one-hit-wonder UNLV teams under Tark. The Elvin Hayes era followed by the Hakeem years in Houston compare favorably to Ark. In no particualr order, consider the history of these programs over the years:

Duke
NC
UCLA
Kentucky
Indiana
Va
Wake
Georgetown
UNLV
Louisville
Houston
Kansas
Ohio State
Memphis
Florida

I'm sure I left out some deserving teams but above are listed 14 teams with clearly better bball history than Ark.

Ark is likely on a par with UT. No better, no worse. But neither is top ten.

You have no knowledge of college basketball if you think Arkansas basketball history consists of "one good year under Richardson." Like Stallion said, Arkansas basketball tradition started with Sutton. Which began in the early 70's and is about 10 years longer than any football tradition at Miami or Florida State.

Despite sucking under Heath, Arkansas still has a winning % over 70% for the past 30 years. During that time, they've gone to four Final 4's, two championship gamnes, and won a national championship. Produced many 1st round picks from Sidney Moncrief, to Alvin Robertson, to Corliss Williamson to Joe Johnson.

Also have maybe the nicest arena in college basketball that holds just under 20,000. Even in crappy years the attendance is in the top 15 in the country. In good ones, its top 5.

Please show me any proof that Va, Memphis, Houston or Wake even deserve to be in this argument, much less "clearly" better programs.

[MustangIcon]

Arkansas is top 10 in all time final four appearances with 6 as well as top ten in total tourney bids with 28. To me that makes them a top 10 basketball program tradition wise.

However, I don't want to post without defending UH a bit too. 5 final four appearances with 18 tournament bids is hardly only the success of only the Hayes and Phi Slamma years in Houston. Pretty impressive when you consider that they have not made the tourney since 1992 and fell from the Southwest Conference 3 years later.