Updated throughout the day with quick takes from staff.
In case it wasn't clear, we love underdogs. We love the team or player that achieves greatness even though they shouldn't and shrug our shoulders at the team or player that dominates when they should.
Case in point? Sports Illustrated's Seth Davis, a wonderful scribe and television personality, ranks the 2004 St. Joseph's team as the best single-season team of the decade, even though they didn't even reach the Final Four.
St. Joe's didn't quite pull off a championship (losing to Oklahoma State in the Elite Eight), but the Hawks, led by incandescent point guard Jameer Nelson, became the first team to complete a perfect regular season since UNLV in 1991.
That's nice, but they didn't actually, you know, win the title. And that's kind of the point of determining greatness in sports, isn't it? You have to win it all. St. Joseph's had a memorable season, but they didn't even make the Final Four, much less win it all. Who cares if they were the mid-major that achieved greatness in the regular season?
Greatest-team of the decade status therefore should go to a champion. Someone like the 2005 or 2009 North Carolina team or the 2007 Florida squad. St. Joe's was a great story, but a great story doesn't equal the best team.
4 comments
Comments
Mason
… and if it was about a great story, Mason’s 06 run was more memorable and impressive than 04 St. Joe’s.
by Chris Mottram on Dec 16, 2009 1:06 PM EST reply actions
Bingo
How you even compare the Hawks to the Patriots is beyond me, unless you’re talking NBA talent.
Visit bloggingthebracket.com, SBNation's bracketology/CBB rambling site!
by Chris Dobbertean on Dec 16, 2009 7:17 PM EST up reply actions
There is no mention of the 2004/05 Illini team anywhere in that article
A team that also did not win a title, but was a hell of a lot better than St. Joe’s the year before.
Also SI, you are showing your age by naming “social networking” the worst innovation of the decade. Good work guys.
Hailtotheorange.com
by Joe Kutsunis on Dec 16, 2009 1:19 PM EST reply actions
Social Networking
Worst innovation of the decade? Or the century? It’s too early to deem it the latter—pending the invention of robot soldiers or a China-Russia super state—but social networking definitely signals the downward of spiral of social discourse, 140 currrracters at a time. Not that it’s not entertaining and awesome, and… Why yes, you can definitely follow me on twitter.
by Andrew Sharp on Dec 16, 2009 2:19 PM EST up reply actions
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