Never understood why the National Sports Media made a big deal about reaching the

[TVFactFan]

FINAL FOUR when you still have another game to pkay AFTER that if you win. I wonder how this round of the NCAA tournament started getting so much HYPE and not the championshp Game-lol Shouldn't it be the FINAL TWO instead? I'm 100% sure that any team in the NCAA tornament wants to get further than the Final Four

[Brian Damage]

I guess because it is a tradition in the NCAA. It's not like the Final Four is more important, just a traditional thing I guess.

[TVFactFan]

Originally Posted by Brian Damage

I guess because it is a tradition in the NCAA. It's not like the Final Four is more important, just a traditional thing I guess.

Still doesn't make Sense-lol

[Brian Damage]

Originally Posted by TVResearcher

Still doesn't make Sense-lol

I don't know why they do it, but to be honest the Final Four games are usually better than the championship game itself.

[TVFactFan]

Originally Posted by Brian Damage

I don't know why they do it, but to be honest the Final Four games are usually better than the championship game itself.

It's promoted like the Superbowl of the Tournament-"ROADTO THE FINAL FOUR"-lol

[Tweety]

Originally Posted by TVResearcher

FINAL FOUR when you still have another game to pkay AFTER that if you win. I wonder how this round of the NCAA tournament started getting so much HYPE and not the championshp Game-lol Shouldn't it be the FINAL TWO instead? I'm 100% sure that any team in the NCAA tornament wants to get further than the Final Four

Final four weekend has been hyped for a long time... I'm not sure when the actual phrase, "Final Four" started to come into use...probably early 70s. In the late 60s, fewer teams made the tournament...maybe 16. The national semi-finals (as they were then known) were usually hyped pretty well, as you'd usually have top 10 teams there all the time... not many Cinderella stories in those days, since there were no "at large" bids...only conference champions made it.

But yeah, this "ROAD to the final four" is stupid... it's two dang weekends, and you're there. Big deal... they make the "ROAD" sound like it's a season-long struggle, when all it is is two weekends and you made it. College kids are young, they can take it.

As far as getting further than the final four, yes, theoretically, teams want to win it all...but in all honesty, John Wooden and Bobby Knight (during the 70s and 80s) were the last coaches who would actually set a goal to go undefeated during a season. Even Coach K has never done that. And now, coaches are considered to be great if they make it to the final four, even if they go no further...in other words, you're great if you win four straight games.

Very few teams actually have a "goal" of winning a national championship these days. Wooden and Knight were exceptions, but most coaches today are just glad to get to the "BIG DANCE".. (another idiotic term).

Of course, terms like "Final Four", "Sweet Sixteen" and "Elite Eight" play on alliteration... the term "Elite Eight" is actually a little late to the game... "Sweet Sixteen" was used at least from the time the tournament expanded to 48 teams (from 32), but it took a few years before they came up with Elite Eight (that always sounded stupid to me... if these 8 teams are "elite" then what does that make the finalists?).

There really is too much hype about the tournament. Don't get me wrong, it's always a great tournament, and I love watching "March Madness"... but it doesn't need any hype... just put the games on, people will watch them...no need to make it anything more than it is, which is a series of basketball games.

When UCLA (led by Bill Walton) lost to NC State in the semi-finals in 1974, I'll guarantee you that NO ONE on UCLA was glad to "get to the final four"... that broke their streak of 7 straight national championships...