Quote
Pat Forde
If you got in the car at Indiana University in Bloomington at 8 a.m., you could visit seven Sweet 16 schools by 5 p.m. Go about 105 miles south to the University of Louisville. Then travel about 75 miles east to the University of Kentucky. From there head north about 90 miles to the University of Cincinnati. Then it’s a quick five miles across town to Xavier University. Next is a 115-mile drive northeast to Ohio State University. Finally after an 85-mile drive southeast, you’ve arrived at Ohio University. This is the game’s fertile crescent.
North Carolina is the only place with comparable fan passion and tradition to this group of schools (and behold, Tobacco Road has two representatives in the Sweet 16 in North Carolina and North Carolina State). If you visit the trophy cases at those schools, you’d find hardware from 17 national championships - seven at Kentucky, five at Indiana, two apiece at Louisville and Cincinnati and one at Ohio State.
Then!!
Quote
Pat Forde
Nine of the 16 coaches have been to the Final Four: Kentucky’s John Calipari, Indiana’s Tom Crean, Michigan State’s Tom Izzo, Louisville’s Rick Pitino, Florida’s Billy Donovan, Syracuse’s Jim Boeheim, Ohio State’s Thad Matta, North Carolina’s Roy Williams and Kansas’ Bill Self.
I sent him an email and asked about where KU fits in the history of college hoops, and, of course, if he could tell me which Final 4 Calipari actually coached in. Let's see if he responds.
Pat Forde 'column'Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 03/19/2012 09:08PM by Senex68.
