Conference Basketball Tournament: When did everyone stop giving a ****?

[beefncheddar]

Watched the 1983 and 1987 ACC finals the other day during ESPN Classic's Jimmy V marathon. And I was struck by two things:

-- How much N.C. State celebrated after winning
-- How little talk there was about the NCAA Tournament (as in pretty much none, whatsoever) during the game.

Now, you could say some of the celebration came from the fact that those teams were dead had they not won the conference, but I didn't get that impression.

Maybe it was growing up in ACC country, but I remember those three days being damn near the most important of the year. And, for whatever reason, it just seems like we've lost something pretty amazing in college basketball.

 

[Fenian_Bastard]

When conference tournaments turned into useless money-grubbing exercises designed as revenue cows andto get another bid to The Big Dance.
The ACC should still be the only league with a tournament.
Shorter form -- when ESPN and CBS screwed it up.

 

[ondeadline]

The ACC tournament doesn't mean nearly as much as it did years ago when you HAD to win the tournament to earn an NCAA tournament bid. I think conference tournaments still mean quite a bit in leagues that traditionally only get one bid.

You could argue that it's easier on your team not to make it the the final of the ACC tournament. If you get sent to a Thursday-Saturday subregional, your team might have to play five games in nine days. In the case of a team that puts together upsets to make the final, you could be looking at six games in 10 days.

 

[BYH]

Root for a mid-major.

Then the conference tournament is the most important weekend of the year.

 

[Sam Mills 51]

Watched the 1983 and 1987 ACC finals the other day during ESPN Classic's Jimmy V marathon. And I was struck by two things:

-- How much N.C. State celebrated after winning
-- How little talk there was about the NCAA Tournament (as in pretty much none, whatsoever) during the game.

Now, you could say some of the celebration came from the fact that those teams were dead had they not won the conference, but I didn't get that impression.

Maybe it was growing up in ACC country, but I remember those three days being damn near the most important of the year. And, for whatever reason, it just seems like we've lost something pretty amazing in college basketball.

And, of course, the 1974 ACC Tournament final between N.C. State and Maryland, won by the Wolfpack in a thriller, was the basis of the NCAA finally allowing more than one team per conference in its little party.

The '83 NCSU team celebrated because it wasn't getting to the NCAAs any other way. That team had 10 losses, and back in the day, no double-digit loss team was invited as an at-large. The '87 team also had a bumpy season, and needed the ACC Tournament crown to get into the NCAAs.

I miss those days ... when ACC Tournament Friday was pretty much an excuse not to bother with much of anything. The number of kids checked out from school, combined with the number of teachers who checked out TVs from the media center just to tune in to the noon and 2 p.m. games, would shock a lot of people who didn't grow up in my corner of the world.

 

[Flying Headbutt]

To many fans, the ACC Tournament is still more important than the NCAA. It's a lot more watered down with 12 teams and four full days of action. But ACC Friday is still my favorite day. And I still sat on my couch all Thursday and Friday last March watching games. As far as I'm concerned the ACC Tournament is still the the premiere conference tournament and it still matters.

 

[93Devil]

To many fans, the ACC Tournament is still more important than the NCAA. It's a lot more watered down with 12 teams and four full days of action. But ACC Friday is still my favorite day. And I still sat on my couch all Thursday and Friday last March watching games. As far as I'm concerned the ACC Tournament is still the the premiere conference tournament and it still matters.

Big East tourney is up there as well, but the style of basketball can be very tough to watch.

Missed shot. Rebound. Put back.

Drive. Foul. One of two from the line.

Missed shot. Rebound. Go the other way.

Repeat about 50 times and you have a game.

 

[poindexter]

Maryland's 1984 win in the ACC tournament was a very big deal. But I quit giving a **** a long time ago about the big school tournaments.

The week of mid major conference tournaments is the best thing ESPN does. There have been some fantastic games the past 10 years.

 

[Bubbler]

I love covering my conference tournament. Highlight of the year.

 

[Oz]

I still love watching conference tournaments, especially the Big 12, obviously. During the Big 8 days, some teachers in high school would request a TV for the last school hour, which began at 2:05 p.m. -- or when KU normally tipped in the 1-8 game against Colorado -- and we would watch that until school got out.

Even now, I love watching the action on Thursday and Friday that week.

 

[Chi City 81]

I love covering my conference tournament. Highlight of the year.

Yeah, but you cover a damn good one. What if you covered a real ****ty one that meant little? Would you still be as enthusiastic?

 

[Bubbler]

I love covering my conference tournament. Highlight of the year.

Yeah, but you cover a damn good one. What if you covered a real ****ty one that meant little? Would you still be as enthusiastic?

I'd get high.

 

[Chi City 81]

I love covering my conference tournament. Highlight of the year.

Yeah, but you cover a damn good one. What if you covered a real ****ty one that meant little? Would you still be as enthusiastic?

I'd get high.

So that's how SEC beat reporters do it.

 

[Cansportschick]

I follow Conference Basketball Tournaments and became a big Syracuse Orangemen fan since the days of Rony Seikaly and Derrick Coleman. Most recently, been following Andrew Rautins on the team.

Always was interested in how Duke, Princeton, and North Carolina does.

Did not like last year's spotty coverage by CBS. It sucked.