Most dominant programs since 2000

[kitzbuel]

I came across this during my perusals this morning. It is an interesting attempt at ranking the top teams of the century so far based on a combination of things like wins, KenPom rankings, NCAA results and the like.

GU makes the top 10 on this list.

https://bleacherreport.com/articles/...ams-since-2000


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[GoZags]

Thanks Kitz.

This one seems pretty fair to me.

[scrooner]

Yes, maybe even generous.

[jazzdelmar]

A 20 year look back is absurd. Florida hasn’t been a top ten since Billy left. Nova is top 3 now, Zags in top 5. Izzo acolytes still have influence and don’t know how you can stomach Kentucky in top 10 anymore.

[TexasZagFan]

A 20 year look back is absurd. Florida hasn’t been a top ten since Billy left. Nova is top 3 now, Zags in top 5. Izzo acolytes still have influence and don’t know how you can stomach Kentucky in top 10 anymore.

The blue blood is congealing.

[MickMick]

I'm weary of the beauty contests and it comes from old age. A lifetime of watching them with much disappointment.

Maybe from being a Seahawk fan, getting up at 5:00 am to watch NFL discussion panels, and not seeing a single mention of the team for a full hour (no matter which channel I turned to), while otherwise getting relentlessly pummeled with "What's wrong with the Cowboys?".

It has dawned on me that the beauty contests are primarily an East Coast thing. The only reason the Zags are consistently in the national media discussion now is because about a decade ago, ESPN fully embraced them to fill their late night time slots with live basketball. In other words, a drunk sports fanatic in an East Coast sports bar could watch great live basketball at 11:00 PM EST. The Zags filled a niche that the rest of the Western time zone could not deliver on with anything close to equivalent consistency. Hell, they even had to promote St. Mary's to create a "rivalry" suitable for late night viewing. Don't get me wrong, the symbiotic relationship with ESPN is a very big reason why GU has propelled itself into it's current prestigious position, and I am certainly glad it happened, but I do so with my eyes wide open. In the end, the national beauty contests are an East Coast thing and the JJ Reddicks will always have an advantage over the Adam Morrisons when it comes to Player of the Year (an Eastern weighted beauty contest). Believe me. If Duke or Kentucky or UNC had anything close to a top 5 team this season, you would not hear nearly the amount of adulation that the Zags are currently getting. Hell, the same Virginians that watched San Francisco beat their Cavaliers will be first in line to declare that GU plays in a "crappy conference". A conference they never watch because they have to get up for work the next day.

The Mark Few consistency has been rather remarkable in it's ability to penetrate the national discussion where so many other Western institutions have failed to do so. I laugh at the Eastern Pundits that could not understand why LA had difficulty supporting Pro Football. So much so that the collective NFL ownership had to intervene and force it to happen because the natural market forces were unable to do so. It's rather obvious why. People in LA don't want to be relentlessly pummeled with "What's wrong with the Cowboys?" The national media is actually the Eastern media, and GU is damn fortunate that the national media is recognizing them at this level. It's an extremely difficult thing for Western Time Zone sports institutions to do.

[roxdoc]

Think you have something there

+1 Mick Mick

[MickMick]

Think you have something there

+1 Mick Mick

Thanks Roc and have you ever heard the phrase; "When the planets align."?

Well they are certainly aligning for GU this year. The Zags best 1-5 lineup ever. A mediocre (by their standards) ACC (who could have ever envisioned such a thing after cannibalizing the best of the Big East conference?), and a pandemic that forces CBS to schedule national Saturday games on the fly.

The planets typically align in the sports world for the legendary teams and the legendary players and this year, they have aligned for the Zags.

[MDABE80]

We need to figure out how to keep some of these kids on the present team. Back to back FF's or Titles would make a huge difference. Mick..you did a superior post. Congrats.

[TexasZagFan]

Good post Mick. All I get down here in North Texas is Cowboys, Cowboys, Cowboys...

Last week, I sent emails to local media, reminding them that the #1 team in the nation would be playing in Fort Worth, against the defending National Champion. There was no coverage whatsoever, owing to the concern over Zeke Elliott's calf. Now, all I'm hearing is "we still have a chance at the playoffs!!!

Turns out a writer from the FW Star-Telegram was off last week, but he was nice enough to send me a reply.

Zags get a ton of respect down here, started long ago with the "play anyone, anywhere" mantra.

[ZionZag]

We need to figure out how to keep some of these kids on the present team. Back to back FF's or Titles would make a huge difference. Mick..you did a superior post. Congrats.

Right on Abe....I think the kids from Minnesota and Nebraska would put us in a strength position for some time....I think we have 4 leaving but if the next 2 stay with a good recruiting class....WOW!

[jazzdelmar]

I'm weary of the beauty contests and it comes from old age. A lifetime of watching them with much disappointment.

Maybe from being a Seahawk fan, getting up at 5:00 am to watch NFL discussion panels, and not seeing a single mention of the team for a full hour (no matter which channel I turned to), while otherwise getting relentlessly pummeled with "What's wrong with the Cowboys?".

It has dawned on me that the beauty contests are primarily an East Coast thing. The only reason the Zags are consistently in the national media discussion now is because about a decade ago, ESPN fully embraced them to fill their late night time slots with live basketball. In other words, a drunk sports fanatic in an East Coast sports bar could watch great live basketball at 11:00 PM EST. The Zags filled a niche that the rest of the Western time zone could not deliver on with anything close to equivalent consistency. Hell, they even had to promote St. Mary's to create a "rivalry" suitable for late night viewing. Don't get me wrong, the symbiotic relationship with ESPN is a very big reason why GU has propelled itself into it's current prestigious position, and I am certainly glad it happened, but I do so with my eyes wide open. In the end, the national beauty contests are an East Coast thing and the JJ Reddicks will always have an advantage over the Adam Morrisons when it comes to Player of the Year (an Eastern weighted beauty contest). Believe me. If Duke or Kentucky or UNC had anything close to a top 5 team this season, you would not hear nearly the amount of adulation that the Zags are currently getting. Hell, the same Virginians that watched San Francisco beat their Cavaliers will be first in line to declare that GU plays in a "crappy conference". A conference they never watch because they have to get up for work the next day.

The Mark Few consistency has been rather remarkable in it's ability to penetrate the national discussion where so many other Western institutions have failed to do so. I laugh at the Eastern Pundits that could not understand why LA had difficulty supporting Pro Football. So much so that the collective NFL ownership had to intervene and force it to happen because the natural market forces were unable to do so. It's rather obvious why. People in LA don't want to be relentlessly pummeled with "What's wrong with the Cowboys?" The national media is actually the Eastern media, and GU is damn fortunate that the national media is recognizing them at this level. It's an extremely difficult thing for Western Time Zone sports institutions to do.

As a former east coast media practitioner and resident for more than 40 years, you have no idea, my friend, how spot on you are.

[jazzdelmar]

Right on Abe....I think the kids from Minnesota and Nebraska would put us in a strength position for some time....I think we have 4 leaving but if the next 2 stay with a good recruiting class....WOW!

I think Nebs and Tims stay.

[jazzdelmar]

The blue blood is congealing.

Aren’t they susceptible to hemophilia?

[gueastcoast]

Think you have something there

+1 Mick Mick

Right on Mick Mick. +1000!

Imagine having to live in the belly of the beast (and unlike Jazz, I'm not from here but from the PST). My daughter grew up hearing the term "east coast bias" so much that she now uses it herself, despite having been born and raised in NYC (she's now 17).

[RenoZag]

Thanks Roc and have you ever heard the phrase; "When the planets align."?

Well they are certainly aligning for GU this year. The Zags best 1-5 lineup ever. A mediocre (by their standards) ACC (who could have ever envisioned such a thing after cannibalizing the best of the Big East conference?), and a pandemic that forces CBS to schedule national Saturday games on the fly.

The planets typically align in the sports world for the legendary teams and the legendary players and this year, they have aligned for the Zags.

Let's hope they align long enough to play an NCAA tourney

[webspinnre]

That seems pretty reasonable, maybe even a tad generous for the past 21 years. Do it again over the past 10 years, and I think we're clearly top-5. How insane is that? Over the last decade Gonzaga is one of the 5 best programs in the country.