Kentucky, Duke, North Carolina, UCLA, Kansas, and Indiana are going to be brought up in every conversation about the College Basketball programs that would be considered Blue Bloods. I would also like to volunteer Michigan State and Gonzaga as two programs to add to the conversation. Gonzaga is never going to get the respect they deserve until they win a National Championship. Michigan State is one of the most consistent programs in the country and should get a ton more recognition for what they have accomplished over the history of that program.
Last night after the final buzzer sounded on the NCAA basketball season there was another team who has entered the conversation and that team is going to garner a lot of looks as one of the true Blue Bloods. The UConn Huskies won their fifth title in their history last night and now we are all hearing the talk about a new Blue Blood to the list. I had to ask myself, are the Huskies a Blue Blood? Is that how this arbitrary process works? Do we all just get to decide who we all consider Blue Bloods and who is fraud? Those are questions that I am going to attempt to answer.
Storrs Connecticut is already the Mecca of Women’s basketball and is home to two of the game’s legendary coaches in Jim Calhoun who won the first 3 titles for the Huskies. The other legend is still coaching, and his name is Geno Auriemma who is the coach of the Women’s team.
UConn Basketball has a case with their win last night and it is something that is going to be debated in Basketball circles and on message boards for a long time. I do have some thoughts on the matter, and they are based mostly in fact, but ultimately you are all going to have to make your own judgment.