Your analogies are inane and don't represent my comments at all. In 1940 there was virtually no television and WWII was imminent. These post-season tournaments were just rinky-dink, nothing at all like today’s March Madness. Purdue probably declined because it was a nothingburger in the grand scheme of things at that time.
1940 NCAA Champions
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Really don’t think it was anything at all to do with Wooden. I think Lambert expressed some hesitation or outright declined, and told Hinkle to go ahead and invite IU. I don’t think it mattered either way to Hinkle—he just wanted to put on a well attended, successful 1st and 2nd round in hopes of bringing the entire tournament to Butler the next year.
Exactly. It was a different era and these so-called 'national championships' were more pretty much nothing more than urban legends. Notre Dame claimed a bunch of national championships based upon the voting of Irish-Catholic sports writers even though the Irish refused to attend any bowl games for 42 consecutive years.
The NIT was the only basketball tourney for years, then it was the dominant basketball tourney over the NCAA for a good while after the NCAA was created. It’s kinda like the Hoosiers woke up in 1960 and said “Hey, that second-rate tourney back in 1940 – we won a national championship!”
So, 1960 is when you believe the NCAA Tourney winner was a true Nationl Champion?
I have heard anywhere from 1951 to 1970. What year do you say?
What year do you say the NCAA Tournament winner was a true National Champion? I have heard anywhere from 1951 to 1970. Thanks!
Well, I would say 1951 based off what I have read. That was the year the NCAA Tournament expanded from 8 teams to 16, made it manadatory that winners from top conferences play in NCAA Tourney, then 22 teams in 1953, and a point shaving scandal further hurt the NIT. Got this from bigbluehistory.net. Not sure what the bait is?
What year did NCAA overtake NIT as the best tournament? I would say 1951 from what I have read. A family member told me 1960.
What discussion? A bunch of primo wannabes that downplay history for their own gain? 1980.
Appreciate everyone's insight! So, Ward Lambert (Purdue coach of 1940 outright Big Ten Champs) turned down the NCAA invite because he considered it 2nd rate compared to NIT (IU then invited because finished 2nd in Big Ten / IU would win 1940 NCAA). It does appear NIT was greater than NCAA at least until 1951 and probably until 1957 or 1958. 1957 North Carolina might have been 1st NCAA Champion where NCAA was greater than NIT. It really makes you look at the early NCAA tournament champions in a different light.
Purdue in 1932 finished #1 in Premo-Porretta Power Poll (1896-1948) at season end. Purdue was the National Champion in 1932.
Purdue in 1969 advanced to the NCAA tournament Final Four where they beat North Carolina and Dean Smith by 27 points before losing to UCLA and John Wooden in the Championship game.
1980 Purdue advanced to the NCAA tournament Final Four once again before losing to UCLA who later was found to use ineligible players.
1932, 1969, and 1980 in that order are Purdue's best years so far on the national level.
I see Purdue in the 2022 Final Four, we hardly ever beat teams like North Carolina and Villanova
in the same regular season (and the way we beat them = outscoring them, just what you need in March). And before his time is done, Painter and Purdue are going to hang the 1st NCAA Tournament National Championship banner in Mackey, too.
Justing putting into perspective that even if Purdue had the 1940 NCAA Tournament champion banner up in Mackey, it really would not mean what the same banner after 1957 means.
Purdue has a solid national legacy, and its about to grow some more in the future. Go Boilers!
Purdue in 1932 finished #1 in Premo-Porretta Power Poll (1896-1948) at season end. Purdue was the National Champion in 1932.
Purdue in 1969 advanced to the NCAA tournament Final Four where they beat North Carolina and Dean Smith by 27 points before losing to UCLA and John Wooden in the Championship game.
1980 Purdue advanced to the NCAA tournament Final Four once again before losing to UCLA who later was found to use ineligible players.
1932, 1969, and 1980 in that order are Purdue's best years so far on the national level.
I see Purdue in the 2022 Final Four, we hardly ever beat teams like North Carolina and Villanova
in the same regular season (and the way we beat them = outscoring them, just what you need in March). And before his time is done, Painter and Purdue are going to hang the 1st NCAA Tournament National Championship banner in Mackey, too.
Justing putting into perspective that even if Purdue had the 1940 NCAA Tournament champion banner up in Mackey, it really would not mean what the same banner after 1957 means.
Purdue has a solid national legacy, and its about to grow some more in the future. Go Boilers!
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