Is college Bball more fun to watch now

[rurallib]

with superstars that land on campus not at all or for one year and then head off for the gold -
OR
was it more fun back in the day when the players were forced to hang in school, often creating some super teams (UCLA).

For me it is more fun now. Most schools can't get more than one superstar and then usually can't keep them for more than a year. Therefore no one stays on top forever. And if a coach can lure a Greg Odem in for a year, maybe your school can have a shot at the gold.
Besides I have never been in favor of someone who has the talent being forced to play for a college and possibly being injured. No one forced Bill Gates to stay in school and do programming.

[Wapsie B]

1. I think it's great fun to watch now.

I like the idea of breaking up the talent somewhat, although the top schools still normally do well drawing the elite players.

[rurallib]

7. I think elite coaches draw talent moreso than the school these days

[TZ]

2. I personally like the college teams that stay together longer

The last time my alma mater, Maryland was a serious basketball national champion defender was when they had a team like that. Maybe there were more talented individuals but they were an excellent team together...And they won the national championship in 2001 because of that.

[sasquatch]

3. I think it was better when the guys that could go pro went pro

Because colleges couldn't be held hostage by b-ball players, if they were good enough to go pro they would.

[Bake]

4. To me it has always been great to watch!!

Better than the pros, for sure.

Bake

[taterguy]

5. NBA Expansion and pro leagues in Europe screwed up the game

It used to be that you had to spend time in college to develop sufficient skills to make it as a pro.

Now you don't need to be that good (relatively speaking) to get a pro contract.

Once upon a time college coaches had enough time to really teach and mold kids.

In the old days you didn't start for UNC as a freshman, unless you were Michael Freakin' Jordan. Even he had to work within the system.

Now the coaches have less control and the quality of play has suffered.

[KamaAina]

6. Bill Gates did not stay in school and do programming

He either dropped out of Harvard or was forced out (reports vary).

K-A
Yale '85, cum laude

edit: spelling

[tigereye]

8. I kind of miss the period before they could go early to the NBA

notice how you don't hear as much about some of those college stars since they went to the NBA, as you did when they were BMOC. I think people miss out on some quintessential aspects of the college experience if they leave after 2 years, such as GETTING A DEGREE, which used to be the point of college.