UConn is such an under appreciated Blue Blood…

[brockytop]

Six NC’s under three different coaches in 25 years. Two straight tournaments not having a final score finish within single digits. Back-to-back championships. Yet they are rarely talked about with the likes of Kentucky, N Carolina, Kansas, and Duke.

Incredible.

 

[UTwild82]

I'd argue it's the best job in CBB right now. At a school that essentially only cares about basketball. At the doorstep of NYC and loads of talent.

 

[THEONLYTENISEE]

When I think of Basketball Blue Bloods, UConn is always on the list.

 

[davethevol]

They’re pretty incredible. Definitely a complete team.

 

[unfrozencvmanvol]

Only UCLA and Kentucky have more natties now.

 

[WillisWG]

The origin of the term 'blue bloods' in college basketball

What is a college basketball 'blue blood' anyway? The earliest reference we found was from 1927, when the Times Union of Brooklyn read: "Centrals Made Up of Basketball Blue Bloods."

www.ncaa.com

No doubts that UConn basketball M/W deserve the "Elite" label. The traditional Blue Bloods have served notice by UConn's back to back Championships.

I will root for them until they become snobs like the traditional BBs.

 

[K-town Vol Fan]

Six NC’s under three different coaches in 25 years. Two straight tournaments not having a final score finish within single digits. Back-to-back championships. Yet they are rarely talked about with the likes of Kentucky, N Carolina, Kansas, and Duke.

Incredible.

It is odd now that I think about it. Duke, Kansas, UK, UNC are constantly on prime time TV during the season. I don't recall ever seeing UConn on TV.

 

[TrumpedUpVol]

People like to use consistency (UConn has missed the NCAA Tournament nearly as often as they've won it over the last 25 years) and longevity (not much history prior to Calhoun) as arguments against them being a Blue Blood, which I think is dumb. Indiana and UCLA have not won a title since UConn's first, and very few schools can lay claim to national titles under three different coaches. This isn't an isolated run like mob-fueled Wooden at UCLA, UConn's last ~35 years have absolutely cemented them as a Blue Blood.

 

[volfanbill]

It is odd now that I think about it. Duke, Kansas, UK, UNC are constantly on prime time TV during the season. I don't recall ever seeing UConn on TV.

The Big East is on Fox Sports and I watched them weekly the last two years. Many times twice a week.

 

[BowlBrother85]

Hurley overdoes it with the histrionics. It seems like an act.

 

[05_never_again]

They aren't a blue blood and I don't mean that as an insult. Blue blood simply means high social status/old money. UConn isn't old money, and their brand does not have the same cachet UK/UNC/Kansas/Duke. They've won all of their national titles since 1999 and really didn't do anything of note as a program until Jim Calhoun's first tournament run in 1990.

In a sport that has a history going back to the early 1900s, who is or isn't a blue blood doesn't change in just a few years or even 15 years. UConn is an awesome program, among the best in CBB over the last 15 years. If they are still a good program in another decade, then you could probably talk about him joining the ranks of "the nobility."

 

[PEPPERJAX]

UCONN produced the great Clifford Robinson. RIP good sir.

 

[TNHopeful505]

How UConn masterfully baited Purdue and Zach Edey into a math problem en route to its second national title

UConn flexed its defensive smarts with a dominant game plan to cork one of Purdue's best weapons

www.cbssports.com

This is brilliant. They had a plan and made it work. The sad part is I feel like we could have and should have done the same.

 

[BowlBrother85]

UCONN produced the great Clifford Robinson. RIP good sir.

5 players off the 1990 Portland Trail Blazers died before they turned 65 .... Jerome Kersey, Kevin Duckworth, Drazen Petrovic, Wayne Cooper and Clifford Robinson. They lost to Detroit in the Finals.

.... and the player that Petrovic was traded to the Nets for in 1991, Walter Davis, is dead too.

 

[RDU VOL#14]

The origin of the term 'blue bloods' in college basketball

What is a college basketball 'blue blood' anyway? The earliest reference we found was from 1927, when the Times Union of Brooklyn read: "Centrals Made Up of Basketball Blue Bloods."

www.ncaa.com

No doubts that UConn basketball M/W deserve the "Elite" label. The traditional Blue Bloods have served notice by UConn's back to back Championships.

I will root for them until they become snobs like the traditional BBs.

They may not be snobs, but they’re dicks. Confirmed by Coach Hurley. Every real UConn fan I’ve ever met is obnoxious as hell.

 

[PEPPERJAX]

5 players off the 1990 Portland Trail Blazers died before they turned 65 .... Jerome Kersey, Kevin Duckworth, Drazen Petrovic, Wayne Cooper and Clifford Robinson. They lost to Detroit in the Finals.

.... and the player that Petrovic was traded to the Nets for in 1991, Walter Davis, is dead too.

Never even thought about this until you brought it up. I only recall CR passing away from cancer a few years back. Good group of players to pass away before even living to 65 years old.

 

[Boston Vol]

They may not be snobs, but they’re dicks. Confirmed by Coach Hurley. Every real UConn fan I’ve ever met is obnoxious as hell.

I grew up an hour and a half away from Storrs. I can confirm they are rather off-putting. They were a lot like Va Tech football fans, thought they had invented the sport despite not really accomplishing anything on the court. I was a sophomore in high school when they won their first title in ‘99. I can’t imagine what they’re like now given the success they’ve had the last 25 years.

 

[Boston Vol]

They aren't a blue blood and I don't mean that as an insult. Blue blood simply means high social status/old money. UConn isn't old money, and their brand does not have the same cachet UK/UNC/Kansas/Duke. They've won all of their national titles since 1999 and really didn't do anything of note as a program until Jim Calhoun's first tournament run in 1990.

In a sport that has a history going back to the early 1900s, who is or isn't a blue blood doesn't change in just a few years or even 15 years. UConn is an awesome program, among the best in CBB over the last 15 years. If they are still a good program in another decade, then you could probably talk about him joining the ranks of "the nobility."

I agree. UCONN is the definition of “new money.” It’s remarkable what they’ve accomplished. They were a program that was basically non-existent before Calhoun arrived in the mid-80s. The only thing that’s comparable in college sports is Miami Hurricanes football from 1982-2002.

 

[RDU VOL#14]

They aren't a blue blood and I don't mean that as an insult. Blue blood simply means high social status/old money. UConn isn't old money, and their brand does not have the same cachet UK/UNC/Kansas/Duke. They've won all of their national titles since 1999 and really didn't do anything of note as a program until Jim Calhoun's first tournament run in 1990.

In a sport that has a history going back to the early 1900s, who is or isn't a blue blood doesn't change in just a few years or even 15 years. UConn is an awesome program, among the best in CBB over the last 15 years. If they are still a good program in another decade, then you could probably talk about him joining the ranks of "the nobility."

Complete speculation on my part, but I feel like that part of the reason that UConn doesn’t quite get the recognition or the tv #’s that other “blue bloods” do is combination of several things . The first being that their location is in the Northeast. IMO, the Northeast is a Pro-sports region first . Yankees, Red Sox, Pats, Bruins, Giants, Knicks, Rangers etc…That’s hard to compete with, and given the current state of college basketball, it makes it even harder to compete w/ that entertainment. College basketball has very little star power right now, which is part of the reason why the women’s game was such a big draw this year. UConn didn’t have a Rip Hamilton or Okafor. I couldn’t tell you one guys name on UConn’s squad, but they play great basketball. They’ve kind of turned into LSU football, where they have won multiple titles w/ multiple coaches over the past few decades, or like @Boston Vol said, like Miami w/o the infamy. It seems like Hurley relishes the idea of being overlooked in that regard bc he can use it as motivation.

 

[volfanbill]

They aren't a blue blood and I don't mean that as an insult. Blue blood simply means high social status/old money. UConn isn't old money, and their brand does not have the same cachet UK/UNC/Kansas/Duke. They've won all of their national titles since 1999 and really didn't do anything of note as a program until Jim Calhoun's first tournament run in 1990.

In a sport that has a history going back to the early 1900s, who is or isn't a blue blood doesn't change in just a few years or even 15 years. UConn is an awesome program, among the best in CBB over the last 15 years. If they are still a good program in another decade, then you could probably talk about him joining the ranks of "the nobility."

You say over the last 15 years and to give them another decade… the decade prior (aka going back 25 years) they have two other natties and three separate elite rights, so???

 

[volfanbill]

Only two schools have more natties than UCONN

 

[K-town Vol Fan]

The Big East is on Fox Sports and I watched them weekly the last two years. Many times twice a week.

That makes sense. I usually just watch whatever game is on ESPN

 

[brockytop]

Hurley overdoes it with the histrionics. It seems like an act.

It’s an act I’d take in a heartbeat.

As for blue blood, it means “noble birth” so all that means to me is UConn basketball was born later than others regarded in the Regal Society of college basketball. Kentucky won four of their eight NC’s before 1960 for goodness sakes.

Maybe the most amazing stat of all is UConn being 12-0 in Final Four games.

 

[05_never_again]

You say over the last 15 years and to give them another decade… the decade prior (aka going back 25 years) they have two other natties and three separate elite rights, so???

UConn has been good since about 1990. Look up UK, Kansas, UNC, and Duke and see how long they've been good. The dude who invented the sport coached at Kansas. Duke is actually the biggest Johnny-come-lately in that group, and they've been good since the late 70s (also went on a run in the mid 60s). That's what I mean. I don't mean it as an insult. At least for me, the term "blue blood" isn't 100% a compliment and can often imply a pompous arrogance that is unjustified.

UConn is new money relative to the blue blood schools. If UConn is able to stretch their run of relevance into the 40-year-range, then maybe you can talk about them being a blue blood. We are comparing them to schools that have been good for over or closing in on 100 years, in the case of Kansas and UK.

I also think part of the reason it seems like they might not get their due as a program is that they've missed the tournament 7 times since 2000. UNC and UK have missed it 3 times, Duke missed it once, and Kansas hasn't missed it at all. They have more titles than the blue bloods do over the last 25 years, but not the consistency.

 

[volfanbill]

UConn has been good since about 1990. Look up UK, Kansas, UNC, and Duke and see how long they've been good. The dude who invented the sport coached at Kansas. Duke is actually the biggest Johnny-come-lately in that group, and they've been good since the late 70s (also went on a run in the mid 60s). That's what I mean. I don't mean it as an insult. At least for me, the term "blue blood" isn't 100% a compliment and can often imply a pompous arrogance that is unjustified.

UConn is new money relative to the blue blood schools. If UConn is able to stretch their run of relevance into the 40-year-range, then maybe you can talk about them being a blue blood. We are comparing them to schools that have been good for over or closing in on 100 years, in the case of Kansas and UK.

I also think part of the reason it seems like they might not get their due as a program is that they've missed the tournament 7 times since 2000. UNC and UK have missed it 3 times, Duke missed it once, and Kansas hasn't missed it at all. They have more titles than the blue bloods do over the last 25 years, but not the consistency.

Duke was not very good in the 70s. They did have a small run in 60s but most everything Duke started with K about 1985. UConn has done it with 3 different coaches.

But it’s convenient to know we’re now basing it off of 40 years. Can’t wait for it to jump further.