The Correct Answer To Barstool's Biggest Debate - Is This The Most Anticipated Title Game Ever?
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I know I'm just a guy who watches more college basketball than anyone. I know I'm just a guy who doesn't have to pretend to be in the mob. I know I'm just a guy who can happen to name multiple players from both Gonzaga and Baylor. But I felt inclined to chime in here. The debate that has taken over the Barstool streets for multiple days now. Is Gonzaga vs Baylor the most anticipated title game ever? I'll stick to the last 33, err, 32 Tournaments since I was born in June 87. Focus on my lifetime here. Let's get right to the point.
No. It's not. It's not even the most anticipated final since the calendar turned to 2000. Right off the bat we have 2005 and 2008. Shit, Gonzaga played in a title game featuring two No. 1 seeds in 2017! You could argue that UNC/Gonzaga had more anticipation than this one with UNC coming off the Kris Jenkins loss, Gonzaga's first title appearance and all that. Shit if you wanted to argue 2007 I'd listen with Florida going back-to-back vs Ohio State having that loaded freshmen roster. They were the first team since the Fab Five to have that feeling of freshmen taking over a roster with Oden, Conley, Cook and Lighty.
Now that's not to take anything away from this game. We fucking deserve this game. It's exactly how a NCAA Tournament should go. Upsets early and two of the best five teams playing for the title. That's exactly what I want. Baylor and Gonzaga were the best two teams coming into the year and two best teams now. It's rare we see that, but in terms of anticipation? It doesn't match 2005 or 2008 for me and that's just my lifetime. We also can't do revisionist history where if this is a good game it all of a sudden jumps that. There's also more talk about this simply because we didn't have the Tournament last year. We were all starved for this shit.
Also, good luck following up that UCLA/Gonzaga game. That was legit one of the best, if not the best basketball game I've seen. Start to finish it had it all. I don't even know how Baylor/Gonzaga tops that? A double OT with a game-winner at the buzzer? Again, we DESERVE this game. We deserve 1 vs 2 (although technically 1 v 3 based on the AP poll after Selection Sunday). But it's not the most anticipated Final. It has a chance to be the best played Final, but it's not the most anticipated. Nothing will ever top Bird vs Magic in 79.