Defense alone doesn’t win championships.

1. Defense alone doesn’t win championships.

Ohio State, Cincinnati, Saint Louis, Syracuse, VCU, and Kansas State are all defense-first teams that frequently struggled on offense this season. The six of them won two combined tournament games. Thanks to Xavier Thames going nuts on North Dakota State, San Diego State remains alive to carry the “our defense is 10 times better than our offense” standard. But given how badly the rest of that group played, I think it’s fair to suggest that “defense wins championships” should really be “defense wins championships … as long as you’re semi-competent offensively.”

From my boy, Titus. http://grantland.com/features/ncaa-...s-kentucky-wichita-state-louisville-michigan/

 

But none of those are great defensive teams. Cuse was before injury.

That said, someone eventually has to score and reliably, at that.

The D wins adage is more about it helping a team survive for the times the O struggles, which happens over the course of 6.

 

Totally

 

I'm not sure why we're doing this again. I can't recall "defense alone wins championships" ever being a thing

 

Florida is known for their defense, and they are doing just fine. Arizona as well.

 

They're both solid on O.

 

Can't speak for Arizona, but I'd say florida's defense is much better than it's offense.

I'm not sure why you are making this claim to begin with. Who ever said that defense alone wins championships?

 

(1)
Florida is plenty solid on O.

(2)
"Defense alone doesn't win championships" is responsive to "defensive wins championships", a common refrain here and elsewhere. Was this unclear from context?

 

KidB, I don't know if you would find anyone willing to claim they agreed with the phrase "defense alone wins championships." That is the objection. It seems like a straw man. The "alone" changes the meaning quite a bit. Not every team can be the early 2000's Baltimore Ravens (which is the only team I can think of that could possibly be claimed as "defense alone."

 

"Defense wins championships" needs a qualifier. Agree or disagree?

 

The "best team on the field/ice/pitch/floor the particular time and place in which the championship is decided" wins championships

 

/thread

 

Disagree. It would be no different than me pretending your argument (which some have done here) is that no defense is required.

 

Were you allowed to respond? Indy wrote "/thread". Is that meaningless? Because I could have sworn it was an absolute bar to further posts.

 

You were right. IP just likes rustling feathers.

 

As far as I can tell, I am allowed to post whatever I want if only because the more I post the more I hurt my positions in the eyes of most readers.

 

It's pretty damn difficult to win when you're only good on one side of the ball, but I absolutely agree that a team which relies on their defense is more likely to survive some of the close games than a team that relies on their offense.

Edit: This is more in a reference to football, though.

 

I cherish your arguments and your fighting spirit, IP.

 

It's basketball; thus, I don't really give a shit.