Tony’s Top 10: Reasons for Pitt basketball fans to cheer up

Now that I’ve had a week to let Pitt basketball’s stunning loss to Butler settle in my… Now that I’ve had a week to let Pitt basketball’s stunning loss to Butler settle in my stomach, I’ve finally resumed watching the NCAA Tournament — initially with a “that should be Pitt” attitude.

But I realized that while Pitt’s early loss is heartbreaking, it’s not too bad in hindsight. So here are 10 reasons why you shouldn’t feel so bad about Pitt’s loss.

10. Sixty-four other teams lost. This year, the NCAA Tournament included 68 teams. And guess what? A whopping 64 teams failed to make the Final Four.

9. At least Pitt made it out of the first round. Pitt has had a few first round flameouts. It might feel like this loss to Butler was the worst loss ever, but at least Pitt avoided becoming the first No. 1 seed to lose to a No. 16 seed. Now that would have been the worst loss ever.

8. Uhh … it’s almost summer. The temperatures are rising, and there are only four weeks left of classes. So, there’s always that.

7. At least they didn’t get blown out. Pitt lost by one point in the final second. Georgetown got blown out by VCU, and top-seeded Kansas was dismantled by the Rams. I guess what I’m trying to say is: Be glad Pitt didn’t have to play VCU, a team that is unbelievable from 3-point range (yes, better than Butler). Which leads me to my next reason.

6. VCU is in the Final Four. When the NCAA Tournament Selection Committee chose VCU for the play-in game over teams with seemingly better resumés like Colorado and Virginia Tech, all anyone could talk about was how awful the Rams were. Well, in true “I-told-ya-so” fashion, VCU is in the Final Four. If you aren’t excited about that, then you aren’t a basketball fan.

5. Pitt played in the greatest, craziest game of the Tournament. Sure, the Panthers were on the losing end of it, but the Pitt-Butler game will forever go down as one of the greatest, most bizarre games in the history of the NCAA Tournament. For those of you who made the trip down to D.C. for the games, that’s something you can always tell your grandkids.

4. We don’t have to hate Butler anymore. Admit it, Butler is the ultimate March darling. Yes, it’s tough to root for Matt Howard when he’s flopping all over the court, but how can you hate their coach Brad Stevens or the incredible story that he’s written at Butler? It was actually difficult to root against the Bulldogs last weekend. The hardest thing now will be deciding whether to root for Butler or VCU in the Final Four.

3. No other top-seeded teams made it. Pitt might have been the first No. 1 seed to lose, but it certainly wasn’t the last. Both Duke and Ohio State lost in the Sweet 16, while Kansas lost in the Elite Eight. And oh yeah, all of the No. 2 seeds lost too.

2. Both teams Pitt lost to are in the Final Four. Pitt played in two tournaments this month. The Panthers didn’t have the best luck with the teams that they drew. Connecticut is perhaps the hottest team in the country, having won five games in five days to win the Big East tournament, knocking Pitt out with a buzzer-beater. And Butler has won nine of its last 10 NCAA Tournament games. Both teams are in the Final Four this year, and they could wind up facing off in the National Championship game.

1. There were still plenty of good memories. While college basketball fans have an unhealthy obsession with Final Fours, this Pitt basketball team has given its fans some incredible memories. If you’re a senior like me, then once you look past the tournament disappointments, there were actually some incredible moments. Ronald Ramon’s buzzer-beater to beat WVU in 2007, winning the Big East tournament in 2008, taking down No. 1 Connecticut in 2009 (twice), Ashton Gibbs’ buzzer-beater against Providence and the incredible overtime comebacks against Louisville and West Virginia last year come to mind.

Do you feel better now? No? Well, I tried.