(updated through 2016)
If you want more information on the Helms Foundation, the easiest place to start for a simple explanation is the Wikipedia page:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Helms_Athletic_Foundation
To briefly summarize, a bunch of people got together in 1936 and decided to retroactively award national titles to basketball and football teams, back to 1901 and 1883 respectively. They then continued to award titles until they dissolved in 1982, in spite of the fact that the NCAA was already doing so in a more official capacity beginning in 1939.
The main reason it's a big deal is because Kansas and North Carolina actually like to get ahead by claiming their Helms titles. Kentucky, meanwhile, was also awarded a couple Helms titles but only claims its official NCAA banners.
Here are a couple lists I compiled, showing that UK would be perfectly happy to count Helms (but they don't bother)...
Official NCAA list:
1) UCLA - 11
2) UK - 8
3) UNC - 5
3) IU - 5
3) DUKE - 5
6) UCONN - 4
7) KU - 3
7) UofL - 3
With Helms titles added (and years added in parentheses):
1) UCLA - 11
2) UK - 10 (1933, 1954)
3) UNC - 6 (1924)
4) KU - 5 (1922, 1923)
4) IU - 5
4) DUKE - 5
7) UCONN - 4
7) WISCONSIN - 4 (1912, 1914, 1916)
9) LOUISVILLE - 3
9) SYRACUSE - 3 (1918, 1926)
9) COLUMBIA - 3 (1904, 1905, 1910)
9) CHICAGO - 3 (1907, 1908, 1909)
The biggest beneficiaries would be Wisconsin, Syracuse, Columbia and Chicago, which otherwise receive no major attention as top historical basketball programs. Of course Kansas would also jump a couple rungs on the ladder of blue bloods, and UNC would break its tie with IU and Duke.
No comments:
Post a Comment