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Which do you enjoy watching more?

Since this is an NBA forum I assume all of us prefer the NBA playoffs to any lower leagues, but March Madness does have that every-game-is-a-game-7 feel that sports fans love.

I think in the past I would have said the NBA regular season just because the skill level is so much higher. But now I think I prefer the intensity of watching these college teams go at it with their season on the line, and also the variety of play styles.

Not sure if it’s because the game has changed so much or because I have, or both, but was just curious where other posters are at with it.

rs is wrought with missing starters over 82games. how can anyone possibly like that.

this year i found myself watching more football and women bball than i ever had

march madness. multiple games throughout the day, on several days in a row. the basketball isnt as good, but the atmosphere, competitiveness and the stakes are better. It also helps, you dont need league pass to watch it.

Youtube. NIL and the transfer portal have pretty much killed college basketball. It's just an arms race now and thus very predictable.

The NCAA is a vastly superior product. One off games with everything on the line every game as opposed to prima donnas jogging up court to take turns chucking threes and crying to the refs.

JRoy wrote:The NCAA is a vastly superior product. One off games with everything on the line every game as opposed to prima donnas jogging up court to take turns chucking threes and crying to the refs.

I've came to the same conclusion.

March Madness and it's not close.

Chuck Everett wrote:Youtube. NIL and the transfer portal have pretty much killed college basketball. It's just an arms race now and thus very predictable.

Ehhhh idk. I agree to an extent but I still prefer the pure nature of college basketball where every point means something.

Chuck Everett wrote:Youtube. NIL and the transfer portal have pretty much killed college basketball. It's just an arms race now and thus very predictable.

I mean it’s always been like that though. It was viewed as an arm race the last decade once UK and Duke went all in on the OADs. Those two schools were bringing in like half of the top 20 recruits every year.

Also let’s be real, the paying the players part isn’t much different. It’s just out in the open now and their is even more money now.

I do agree that these two things have made it so we will see less Cinderella’s in March. But most years 14-15 of the teams were from power conferences. Most Cinderella teams didn’t make the Sweet Sixteen.

On a per game basis? Give me March Madness. But if you take away one or the other entirely, give me NBA RS.

NBA.

donkeylips wrote:march madness. multiple games throughout the day, on several days in a row. the basketball isnt as good, but the atmosphere, competitiveness and the stakes are better. It also helps, you dont need league pass to watch it.

Agreed, the first weekend of March Madness is one of my favorite sporting events. Tons of games all day. Inevitably some of em have a lot of drama. Very fun to watch.

Duke4life831 wrote:

Chuck Everett wrote:Youtube. NIL and the transfer portal have pretty much killed college basketball. It's just an arms race now and thus very predictable.

I mean it’s always been like that though. It was viewed as an arm race the last decade once UK and Duke went all in on the OADs. Those two schools were bringing in like half of the top 20 recruits every year.

Also let’s be real, the paying the players part isn’t much different. It’s just out in the open now and their is even more money now.

I do agree that these two things have made it so we will see less Cinderella’s in March. But most years 14-15 of the teams were from power conferences. Most Cinderella teams didn’t make the Sweet Sixteen.

And just to add the old system had to collapse. It was just indefensible and basically horrified people across the political spectrum. Lots of Republicans and Democrats hated it for slightly different reasons. My family is very Republican but my father always said universities were stealing from athletes. I'm a Democrat and I always noticed the demographics of the full-time employees who used to have basically no rights once they committed.

The NCAA had numerous opportunities to accept some reforms and they always refused. To this day they could end the transfer portal if they just allowed players to sign contracts with schools. But they don't.

As always my takeaway from when I watch college hoops. NBA has way better refs but the NCAA has a way better rulebook.