The Holy Land of Hoops

Some of our supporters have wondered why a conference with the excellent teams, enthusiastic fans and many outstanding players that the Big East has does not get more respect from the national media and press. I have the same question but I believe I may know what is at least a partial answer.

Since 1964 only 1 non football playing school has won the BB national championship in the NCAA division 1. That team was the 1977 Marquette Warriors. Now when I refer to division 1 football please remember that I speak of both subdivisions within division 1. FCS or D1AA and FBS or D1A.

Both Georgetown in 1984 and Villanova in 1985 are Division 1AA schools and both won the NCAA basketball championship. Hence in the last 50 years no NCAA basketball championship was won by a non Div 1 football playing school except in 1977.

Prior to 1964 the great divide was by no means so large. Between 1939 (the first year of the championship) and 1963 there were 6 non football playing school teams who won the BB national championship.

They were:
Holy Cross in 1947
CCNY in 1950
Lasalle in 1954
San Francisco in 1955 and 1956 (Bill Russell's teams)
Loyola of Chicago 1963

Thus in the first 24 years of the NCAA tournament 6 non football playing schools teams won. In the last 50 years only 1 non football playing school has won the NCAA basketball title.

I am not suggesting the Big East basketball schools should institute football programs as that ship has already sailed. However having very little free advertising on TV and other media for 7 months of the year (non BB season) is a major drawback. It is also true that people like myself love BB but many others look on it as something to do only when football season is down. Also the ever expanding football playoff may deny us even more TV and press attention.

One question for Marquette and Butler fans and alumnus. Do or did Marquette or Butler ever have a football team? I know XU did have one and I remember as a small child going out to the stadium on Victory Pkwy with my dad and uncle and seeing the Muskie games on Saturday afternoon. However that program was discontinued many years ago. I also wonder if Holy Cross may have had football in 1947.

If anyone here has evidence to show my information is incorrect please post corrections. I got my information from NCAA website. Any suggestions or solutions to the problem would be welcome - please post.

Georgetown and Villanova are non-football schools.

I know they have glorified club teams, but they are not a football school. I speak for most nova fans when I say that I wish we would drop football and spend that money on hoops.

UConn in 1999 and 2003 was a non-football school, and heck they still are now.

It seems a good formula is to be part of a football conference, but cheap out on football and pay for hoops (duke, kansas, zona, etc...)

Also, the real issue is: how many non-football schools put a full effort into hoops? Until 15 years ago the number wasn't that many. It is still a much lower number than the football schools.

Yes, FCS.

http://www.butlersports.com/sports/m-footbl/index

Georgetown has had a long football history where they have ever been everything from club football to Division III football, division II football,major college I-A football and the current I-AA Football.

But when they won the men's basketball title in 1985 the football team was only at the nonscholarship Division III level at that point in time.

http://www.hoyafootball.com/records/rec_season.htm


Villanova is also been a different levels but they actually disbanded their football program between 1981 in 1985. They didn't start playing football again after they disbanded until September 1985 and that was just a partial schedule against five Division III teams. So they actually have literally no football at all going on when they won their title in April 1985.

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Villanov ... s_football

HoosierPal wrote:Yes, FCS.

http://www.butlersports.com/sports/m-footbl/index

Thanks HoosierPal. I honestly did not know that Butler still had a FCS team. I have to imagine that makes for a richer collegiate experience than not having a football team to follow and cheer for. As a XU fan I have always been disappointed that we let football slip away. I know a few XU grads from the late 70's and 80's who long for the sport's return and I admit to being one of them. However realistically it must be admitted to be a chimera. I love basketball but football rounds out the collegiate sports experience.

Every school that has ever won a national championship has a Department of History.

Equally relevant.

Most don't know that DePaul used to have a football program. It shut down in 1948.

HoosierPal wrote:Yes, FCS.

http://www.butlersports.com/sports/m-footbl/index

Not only does Butler have football, they have committed to it for the future. A major renovation was completed in the last five years.


http://www.butlersports.com/information/facilities/bowlrenovationHQ

So is your point that schools like Duke and UConn owe all their hoops championships to their football programs?

robinreed wrote:

HoosierPal wrote:Yes, FCS.

http://www.butlersports.com/sports/m-footbl/index

Thanks HoosierPal. I honestly did not know that Butler still had a FCS team. I have to imagine that makes for a richer collegiate experience than not having a football team to follow and cheer for. As a XU fan I have always been disappointed that we let football slip away. I know a few XU grads from the late 70's and 80's who long for the sport's return and I admit to being one of them. However realistically it must be admitted to be a chimera. I love basketball but football rounds out the collegiate sports experience.

The legend Tony Hinkle, coached Butler Basketball, Football and Baseball. Overall he his Bulldog teams won 1060 games. That feat will never be repeated.

165–99–13 (football)
560–392 (basketball)
335–309–3 (baseball)