Bracketology Thread

[Ultra Peanut]

HatGuy wrote a column dissing Memphis. Mine eyes have seen the glory!

First, the arguments for the Tigers: They lead the nation in defense, they set an NCAA record for wins over a four-year-period, they went to the championship game last year, they’re on a 25-game winning streak and they’ve won 61 Conference USA games in a row.

And now the killer arguments against them: They’ve never won an NCAA championship, and they belong to a mid-major conference
. . .
But not all won-loss records are created equal. And in Memphis’ case, there are not only the team’s humble conference origins to consider but its own history. To be looked at as a champion, you have to be a champion. And neither Calipari nor Memphis have ever been the ones cutting down the nets after the season’s final game.

Calipari and the Tigers are college basketball’s answer to golf’s Sergio Garcia. He’s the best coach and they’re the best team never to win a championship. Each year’s rankings are supposed to be determined on each year’s record. History isn’t supposed to factor into it. But human brains don’t work that way. If two teams have similar records, we will always rank the one with the grander history ahead of the one with no history.