If Duke was in UVA's Shoes

[Rich]

Ok, since we have a break before the Championship game, I pose this question with a major assumption. Let's assume that UVA beats Texas Tech and wins the championship, just one year after their epic and historic loss in the first round as a one seed against a 16 seed.

If you replace UVA with Duke, and put Duke in UVA's shoes, would you accept those circumstances? In other words, would you accept this year's championship (which would obviously be Duke's 6th), but you would also have to accept last year's historic first round loss? I imagine our friends at UVA would have no trouble accepting this "prisoner's dilemma" since it gets them their first championship, regardless of (in spite of and perhaps as motivation from) last year's historic defeat.

But as a Duke fan would you accept a 6th championship on the condition that last year's loss to a 16 seed would be talked about forever, particularly at tourney time, as an epic and historic, first of its kind, event?

[sagegrouse]

Ok, since we have a break before the Championship game, I pose this question with a major assumption. Let's assume that UVA beats Texas Tech and wins the championship, just one year after their epic and historic loss in the first round as a one seed against a 16 seed.

If you replace UVA with Duke, and put Duke in UVA's shoes, would you accept those circumstances? In other words, would you accept this year's championship (which would obviously be Duke's 6th), but you would also have to accept last year's historic first round loss? I imagine our friends at UVA would have no trouble accepting this "prisoner's dilemma" since it gets them their first championship, regardless of (in spite of and perhaps as motivation from) last year's historic defeat.

But as a Duke fan would you accept a 6th championship on the condition that last year's loss to a 16 seed would be talked about forever, particularly at tourney time, as an epic and historic, first of its kind, event?

Gimme #6!

[wavedukefan70s]

Considering we hear about Lehigh and Mercer anyway I'll take 6.

[Reddevil]

It is easy to lose one in a row and INCREDIBLY difficult to win six in a row, so take the championship every time. This is a no brainer.

I thought this post was going to be about the national outrage if Duke won the way UVA did last night. You can bet the hatred would be directed squarely at Duke, not the officials. Everyone else gets a pass.

[HereBeforeCoachK]

Considering we hear about Lehigh and Mercer anyway I'll take 6.

I was trying to figure out why I was instantly saying yes, take the Natty #6...and you sir have nailed it....great point.

[CameronBornAndBred]

Zion wouldn't have missed a month. ;p

[COYS]

Ok, since we have a break before the Championship game, I pose this question with a major assumption. Let's assume that UVA beats Texas Tech and wins the championship, just one year after their epic and historic loss in the first round as a one seed against a 16 seed.

If you replace UVA with Duke, and put Duke in UVA's shoes, would you accept those circumstances? In other words, would you accept this year's championship (which would obviously be Duke's 6th), but you would also have to accept last year's historic first round loss? I imagine our friends at UVA would have no trouble accepting this "prisoner's dilemma" since it gets them their first championship, regardless of (in spite of and perhaps as motivation from) last year's historic defeat.


But as a Duke fan would you accept a 6th championship on the condition that last year's loss to a 16 seed would be talked about forever, particularly at tourney time, as an epic and historic, first of its kind, event?

Losing to Mercer stunk but winning the title in 15 was glorious. So yes, I’d take that, for sure, assuming that a title is guaranteed the following year.

[AGDukesky]

I thought this thread was going to be about the backlash if Duke won under the circumstances UVA just won over Auburn.

[22JumpShots]

What a great set up and question that definitely in my opinion deserve some good thought.

I think in the end I am gonna say no. Especially in the specific case that Duke would be the FIRST 1 seed to go down to a 16. As another poster on here touched on the fact that history typically remembers Wins/Losses and something like that will be with UVA and Bennett forever. The FIRST 1 seed to go down to a 16. May not happen again for 50 years. Might happen again next year. Who knows? I wouldn't want that for Coach K, to have that type of blemish.

Do I not want #6 enough you ask? Of course I want it, ... and after these last two years ... BAD. I think we all even want it more after watching the cheats skate like Tonya...then FF (even though Duke Hero Kris Jenkins became a household name in my house that year)...and then Natty. I am sick of the cheats being able to say that "ohh gee, when was the last time Duke even made a FF?" crap. It was only 4 years ago but since then they have had two FF ... def. makes me want #6 more than if they hadn't had those two. At least I think.

Mercer is one thing ... Lehigh is another ... but 1 Seed going down to 16 Seed ... and specifically being the FIRST and only one to do it ... not for Duke. Not for K.

We are getting number 6 one way or the other .. and hopefully with K at the helm, but wouldn't want to have to have a horrible blemish in college basketball history to get it.

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But then again after re-reading all of that ^^^^ in the end history would most likely see 6 banners and ignore the HORRIBLE loss from before. Or would it? On the other side... the cheats fans would be so annoying and brutal with the trash-talk surrounding the #1 losing #16 subject. They still think they have "7 banners" smh. 1924...

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Best case scenario would be #1 seeded cheats go down to #16 seeded NC State (sorry for having them at #16 Pack-Man, but for rivalry sake would be the coolest!), and then Duke win #6 the same year. <--- I am gonna go with this one.

[JBDuke]

I think in hindsight, it is relatively easy to say "Yes, I'd take a 6th banner at the expense of having to live with being the first #1 to lose to a #16." But the year between the loss and the championship would have been a very painful one. It's hard to say how I'd feel before the championship year had started.

I said this after last year's UVA loss - there's a certain special notoriety that the Hoos will always have, given that they now own the bad side of perhaps the worst regular season upset in NCAA history (#1 UVA losing to Division 2 Chaminade) and the worst NCAA Tournament upset in NCAA history. That's always going to sting...

[proelitedota]

No we can always get another title but we can't erase a loss.

[dukelifer]

Ok, since we have a break before the Championship game, I pose this question with a major assumption. Let's assume that UVA beats Texas Tech and wins the championship, just one year after their epic and historic loss in the first round as a one seed against a 16 seed.

If you replace UVA with Duke, and put Duke in UVA's shoes, would you accept those circumstances? In other words, would you accept this year's championship (which would obviously be Duke's 6th), but you would also have to accept last year's historic first round loss? I imagine our friends at UVA would have no trouble accepting this "prisoner's dilemma" since it gets them their first championship, regardless of (in spite of and perhaps as motivation from) last year's historic defeat.

But as a Duke fan would you accept a 6th championship on the condition that last year's loss to a 16 seed would be talked about forever, particularly at tourney time, as an epic and historic, first of its kind, event?

6 for sure. Duke was better prepared to be the first as the 5 championships are there - also there have been several first year exits. And of course winning it the year after the loss with the same team is also a plus. UVA will long forget the first round loss if they win on Monday.

[Steven43]

I thought this thread was going to be about the backlash if Duke won under the circumstances UVA just won over Auburn.

What circumstances?

[DarkstarWahoo]

I think in the end I am gonna say no. Especially in the specific case that Duke would be the FIRST 1 seed to go down to a 16. As another poster on here touched on the fact that history typically remembers Wins/Losses and something like that will be with UVA and Bennett forever. The FIRST 1 seed to go down to a 16. May not happen again for 50 years. Might happen again next year. Who knows? I wouldn't want that for Coach K, to have that type of blemish.

You make valid points here, and yet...if UVA can pull this off tomorrow night, I really think the loss adds a layer to Bennett’s legacy because of the way he handled it. I think the coaches I would say that about are few and far between, and the list honestly might be Bennett and Bennett alone. He’s just so temperamentally well suited to bouncing back from something like that - he’s prone to waxing philosophical in even the most mundane circumstances, let alone a loss like that.

God, what a story a UVA win tomorrow would be. I have a sinking feeling that they’re going to lose big. Texas Tech is hitting on all cylinders right now.

[Steven43]

No we can always get another title but we can't erase a loss.

Why does it particularly matter to lose to a #16 seed? Is that really any worse than losing to a #15 seed or a #14 seed? They seem roughly equivalent to me.

[proelitedota]

Why does it particularly matter to lose to a #16 seed? Is that really any worse than losing to a #15 seed or a #14 seed? They seem roughly equivalent to me.

Now that it's happened it doesn't matter much anymore. But going down as the 1st 1 seed is going to make the first round game of March Madness hell for me every single time going forward.

[Steven43]

You make valid points here, and yet...if UVA can pull this off tomorrow night, I really think the loss adds a layer to Bennett’s legacy because of the way he handled it. I think the coaches I would say that about are few and far between, and the list honestly might be Bennett and Bennett alone. He’s just so temperamentally well suited to bouncing back from something like that - he’s prone to waxing philosophical in even the most mundane circumstances, let alone a loss like that.

God, what a story a UVA win tomorrow would be. I have a sinking feeling that they’re going to lose big. Texas Tech is hitting on all cylinders right now.

After UVA’s back-to-back astonishjng last-second victories against Purdue and Auburn I don’t see them being stopped now. They seem like a team of destiny.

[devildeac]

You make valid points here, and yet...if UVA can pull this off tomorrow night, I really think the loss adds a layer to Bennett’s legacy because of the way he handled it. I think the coaches I would say that about are few and far between, and the list honestly might be Bennett and Bennett alone. He’s just so temperamentally well suited to bouncing back from something like that - he’s prone to waxing philosophical in even the most mundane circumstances, let alone a loss like that.

God, what a story a UVA win tomorrow would be. I have a sinking feeling that they’re going to lose big. Texas Tech is hitting on all cylinders right now.

You've been posting here a while, but, apparently not long enough to know/realize that reverse jinxes/weaufs don't work.

[devildeac]

After UVA’s back-to-back astonishjng last-second victories against Purdue and Auburn I don’t see them being stopped now. They seem like a team of destiny.

I thought we were the "team of destiny" with our last-second escapes?

, and .

[AGDukesky]

What circumstances?

The missed double dribble and drawing a foul in the last second to win the game. Essentially, the refs playing a major role in the outcome- right or wrong...