(07-09-2013 08:17 AM)Melky Cabrera Wrote: You're right. Gonzaga does have the better national brand although for the life of me I can't understand why.
If Butler can even remotely "mirror" the success of Stevens under a different coach (or over several coaches), that argument can be made. Not necessarily make Final 4's, but consistently earn good seeding well past Stevens' recruits' careers.
With Gonzaga, it's that consistent place they hold in the sport. A decade ago, they weren't getting big guys, fast guys, or even big AND fast guys, but still had their routine of playing a challenging non-conference, winning its fair share of good games, not losing bad games, and earning respect from tournament selection committees. I'm convinced that based on their work outside of the conference, they'd still get into the tournament most of the years they did regardless of where they played. Considering how bad the PAC has been, or how inconsistent the MWC could be, I think it's a fair assumption.
These days, Gonzaga's talent is better than their coaching, honestly. They have the guys who can fight below the rim and make the easy shots...but they still play like they're glass, and try beating you from behind the arc. It's actually frustrating to watch them, because they have become a national program (international, considering their recruiting methods), and they play like a 16-seed fighting for the lives. That's a confidence issue...and that's on their coach.
Stevens > Few, but GU > Butler. The latter is easily adjustable once Butler is consistently facing programs like Marquette, Georgetown, and Villanova, who have guys who tower over the kids at Butler. I care nothing about how Butler fares against Xavier or Creighton. They're already at that level.