Every year. Same rerun. Gonzaga sits atop the polls, they lose a game, and the haters start, “If the Zags played in a real conference, they wouldn’t sit at No.1.” Yet, The Bulldogs are consistently one of the top programs in the nation, BUT they don’t get nearly the respect of even some average high major teams. The Zags are not overrated, they simply live in a weak conference and so it’s easy for the critics. But, at some point, this argument must be thrown out. Think of a year in the last ten when the Zags were average or even under average. I bet you can’t.
The Zags live under a microscope, and opinions on the team can go from positive to negative in the blink of an eye. Despite the “overrated” narrative that has surrounded Gonzaga over the years, the program has been extremely successful during the 21st century. With head coach Mark Few at the helm, they have either matched or exceeded expectations of 14 of their 20 consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances, something not many programs can say.
🏀 Final Four Coaches Club spotlight
— NABC (@NABC1927) February 25, 2022
Mark Few has led @ZagMBB to Final Fours in 2017 and 2021, reaching the title game in both years!
📍 @Spalding pic.twitter.com/jjxE0oqzAY
In the last 21 years, the program has reached eleven Sweet 16 appearances, five Elite Eight appearances, two Final Fours as well as making the national championship game in 2017 and 2021. That’s overrated? Really? Nah. “The Zags choke in March” narrative boggles my mind, and it’s like the minute they lose, the hyenas can’t wait, “I TOLD YOU SO! GONZAGA IS ALWAYS OVERRATED! HAHAHA!” or “TYPICAL GONZAGA THAT’S WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU PLAY A REAL TEAM.” Come on people.
And it’s not just college basketball fans. The Zags garner zero respect from the media. Same headlines every March: Can Gonzaga win a title? Is this a team you can trust in March? Do the Zags deserve a No. 1 seed? Are they nothing but a bunch of frauds? Teams like Duke, Kansas, or Villanova do not get the same headlines after a loss.
Gonzaga gets a lot of crap for playing in the WCC and nobody is going to argue that it’s better than the Big 10 or the Big East and it’s only known for being the league that Gonzaga dominates every season. Nope, Gonzaga doesn’t play in a power six conference, but there are plenty of teams that could make life difficult for the Zags in the WCC Championship – St. Mary’s , BYU, or USF – but Gonzaga is still the clear favorite. To take this one step further, the Zags have played some very strong non-conference teams this season. They beat No. 21 Texas, No. 17 UCLA, and No 12 Texas Tech. They lost to a powerhouse, No. 4 Duke, but only by three.
As I write this article, I feel like I am starting to sound like a Zags fan. I’m not. I just believe in fair game, but in reality, sports aren’t fair, and respect is measured by rings. With all the greatness I mentioned above, Gonzaga hasn’t won a national championship and in the world of sports, without a ring, you will never get the respect you are looking for. That’s how it goes. BUT, honestly, #zagnation, who cares? The Zags keep defeating almost every team that comes in their path and I suspect they will for many years to come.
Picture Credit: Shutterstock
