Gordon Haywood almost pulled it off.
Butler’s boyish-looking sophomore guard twice missed what would have been the shot of the decade in his team’s loss to Duke in the NCAA tournament final on Monday night. A fade-away jumper with about five seconds left coldly bounced off the rim while a desperation heave from half court teased America after hitting the backboard. Had either shot tickled the twine, the Horizon League’s finest would be your national champion of college basketball.
But consider these facts: The Bulldogs played just six regular season games against major conference programs and lost half of them. The wins came against Northwestern, UCLA and Minnesota. The Bruins had an awful year, while the Gophers and Wildcats were middling Big Ten teams.
Butler cruised through their mid-major conference slate like a hot knife through butter, finishing 18-0 before winning the conference tourney. Haywood’s squad then received a No. 5 seed for the Big Dance. Despite being a fantastic story reminiscent of the film "Hoosiers", had Butler won, I would’ve had a hard time recognizing them as the "national champ". Would the Bulldogs really deserve that title more than say, Kansas, who finished at 33-3 in the Big XII?
When examining this situation, someone with no knowledge of the sport would probably determine that the regular season in college basketball is virtually meaningless. After finishing the regular season ranked No. 1 and winning both the Big XII regular season and tournament titles, KU got nothing at the end of the day. Butler, meanwhile, played in the 12th best conference in America (according to the Sagarin ratings) and was inches away from winning the biggest prize in college basketball.
Now, I enjoy filling out a bracket as much as anybody. I love picking upsets and trying to find the next mid-major who will make a run in the tournament. But does this tourney really decide the best team in the country? A program could theoretically go winless in the regular season, win their conference title and then get a bid to the NCAA tournament. That means that a team without a regular season win could become national champions.
Despite all of the controversy about the BCS, I have to say that, in college football, two teams with a legitimate argument to the national title get to play for it all at the end of the year. It means that those regular season battles in the SEC and ACC do actually mean something in the long run. It also means that a team from a weak conference doesn’t have much of a chance of playing for it all. You’re not going to find an 8-4 team backing their way into a national title after pulling off an upset or two.
The ironic thing about all of this is that college football is roundly criticized for how they determine a national champion while basketball is given a free pass. The bottom line is that college football has a better way of determining a champion.
BRAVES ARE FOR REAL …
The soldout crowd that ─ and pardon the pun here ─ "braved" the nightmarish congestion and heat to make Opening Day at Turner Field were treated to an unforgettable afternoon on Monday. Jason Heyward’s much-ballyhooed arrival lived up to the hype and then some.
Most Major League players never hit a home run over 440-feet. Heyward did it in his first swing. He also singled in another run for a nice four-RBI afternoon in his professional debut.
I have a feeling that Braves fans will flock to "The Ted" this season like they haven’t since in years. Along with one of the hottest rookies in baseball, crowds will also come to wish iconic manager Bobby Cox a fond farewell.
Also, I really feel like this team has a chance to do something special. The pieces started to come together last year, with young pitchers Jair Jurrjens and Tommy Hanson looking dominant and guys like Martin Prado and Matt Diaz finally getting a chance to play on a regular basis. Throw in veterans like Chipper Jones, Brian McCann, Derek Lowe and Billy Wagner, and the Bravos look like a legitimate contender.
Critics will say that last year started off with similar promise. The Braves opened in Philadelphia and look unbeatable on Opening Night. Cox’s troops won 4-1 on the strength of a solid performance by Lowe and a home run by rookie Jordan Schafer. We all know how the Schafer experiment worked out, but I really don’t think Heyward will be sent to the minors any time soon. Remember, Schafer was the target of an HGH probe and did not have the power that Heyward does.
SPRING BRINGS HOPE …
There really is nothing like college football in the South. The old joke about the three seasons in this part of the country really is true. Fans plan their years around the actual season in the fall, recruiting in the winter and spring practice.
The spring sessions are the most hopeful of seasons, as every team exits their workouts undefeated and full of promise. Georgia State, Tech and UGA all have questions to answer over the next few days before the practices end. It will be interesting to see who will win the quarterback jobs on all three campuses as well as how the new defensive coordinators at Tech and Georgia will turn out. But I am most interested to see how the Panthers look in their first season ever. Who knows, in a few years State may be in a BCS conference. USF was able to accomplish that feat in just eight seasons and is now a member of the Big East.
Here’s to hope.
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