We also have better players than Cornell who is sitting tied for number 2 in the pairwise. My point is, if we were number four, and all three schools above us were Minnesota schools, I would not be upset that we were the fourth best team in Minnesota.
As for your other post, about my first year comparisons, I can concede that my singular focus on the one metric of fired coach's last year versus new coach's performance is kind of myopic (though in Pitino's case, he has had five tries at matching Tubby's trip to the second round). That said, I think when we are considering firing a coach, or evaluating a past decision to do so, we too often disregard the rough seasons we have when we "rebuild" or "install a new system" or whatever you want to call it. If we fire a coach, and then have to endure some rough seasons early on, I consider it a failed firing/hiring if we don't get to a new level with the new coach. If the goal were to get back to the same level, we could have achieved that sticking with the old coach rather than tearing down and rebuilding. Thus, if Pitino doesn't do more than get us to a point where we go to the tourney in about half his seasons and never gets us out of the first weekend in the tournament, I'll consider that a failed move in the long run. Similarly, if Fleck doesn't get us to something better than winning 8 or 9 games in three out of four years, I'll consider that a failed move.
That brings me to Lucia. Don't let my opposition to firing him masquerade as satisfaction with our performance this year. I am just not convinced that firing him increases the chances we win a national championship next year, nor am I convinced that it does so over the next five years (and I don't even worry about time horizons longer than that, because my experience with our athletic department is that most revenue sports coaches in recent history don't make it much longer than 5 years). I agree with some of your specific criticisms/frustrations with his team this year (inconsistent effort, underachieving talent level). However, I remember hearing those same criticisms in the three straight seasons we missed the NCAAs from 2008-2011. Heck, I was vocalizing those criticisms and advocating for firing him at that point. But, he rewarded the U's patience with 2 Frozen Fours including one appearance in the national title game in the three years following that stretch. At this point, I like his chances of another resurgence as much (if not better) than I do of another coach making us a national title contender again. I can respect the position that he should be fired because I don't think we are where we should be, but I don't think it is the no-brainer decision that some on this board want to make people believe it is.
Pardon the novel that this post turned into, thanks for engaging on the topic.
