Stop the Tar Heel Madness: UNC's '09 Title Run Dwarfed by '06 Gators

Now that the celebration is over and the millionth “Greatest Team Ever” article has been finished, I come bearing some humbling news for the Tar Heels:

Your legacy is nowhere near the level so many hyperbolic writers are making it out to be. In fact, the Florida Gators have been there and done that this decade—twice.

Essentially, you are the greatest champions to come along in the last two years.

Congratulations.

In our 30-second attention span sports world, every shot is the greatest, every champion is the best, every winning coach is a legend or genius. Everybody wants to crown the G.O.A.T. these days.

Until the following year, that is.

All I keep hearing and reading is, “When was the last time we saw domination like this?” And, to a lesser extent, “When is the last time such decorated players bypassed the NBA to win an NCAA Championship?”

The answer is simple: 2006, and then again in 2007, when “the Gator boys”—as Joakim Noah once referred to his team—ripped through the tournament in back-to-back years.

This is not to say UNC’s domination in '09 wasn't impressive. It was.

The Heels were unchallenged for three weeks, and the team’s focus and sheer athleticism simply overwhelmed opponents.

That said, it’s hard for me to understand why the love-fest for the Tar Heels can possibly co-exist with what nearly everyone agrees was the most disappointing and boring tournament ever.

Worst tournament + Weakened field = Greatest champion. Huh?

For some perspective, let’s take a look at the context and some numbers for each Tar Heel and Gator team.

While North Carolina’s run this season was most similar to the Gators’ second title run in ’07, Florida’s first championship in 2006 is enough to put North Carolina’s accomplishment behind the Gators’.

As a three-seed in ’06, Florida dismantled their opponents, with the exception of a nail-biter against Georgetown that the Gators won by four.

They took down top-seeded Villanova by 13, stomped a Cinderella George Mason team by 15, and then smothered UCLA in the championship, winning by 16 after leading at the half by 11.

For the tournament, the Gators were +96 in scoring margin.

This year, the Tar Heels ran over teams in similar fashion, racking up a +121 scoring margin of their opponents.

But when matched up with the Gators’ accomplishment, the Tar Heels’ title pales in comparison.

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