Commentary

Tale of the Tape: Battle in Seattle

Originally Published: December 18, 2008

OK, so it isn't the Thrilla in Manila, but the Battle in Seattle brings together two top 10 teams as an early holiday present. Mix in the history between Gonzaga and Connecticut -- last year's nailbiting win by the Bulldogs, the 2005 Denham Brown buzzer-beater for UConn in Maui and the 1999 showdown in the Elite Eight -- and you've got all the makings of a battle worthy of a Tale of the Tape:

Tale of the Tape: UConn-Gonzaga

Head-to-head	2-1	1-2
Conference tournament titles	6 (Big East)	9 (West Coast)
NCAA tournament appearances	28	11
Elite Eight appearances or better	8	1
Current NCAA streak	One year	10 years
Consensus first-team All-Americans	6	1
NABC National Players of the Year	Emeka Okafor (2004)	Adam Morrison (2006)
Active NBA players	13	2
Peerless leader	Jim Calhoun (23rd season) -- Hall of Famer	Mark Few (10th season) -- 2nd best winning percentage among active coaches
Peerless leader's rival	Geno Auriemma	Randy Bennett
In 1981 …	Jim Calhoun makes his first NCAA appearance (with Northeastern)	Mark Few graduates high school
Coach's good deed	Cancer Challenge Ride -- raised over $500,000	Coaches vs. Cancer Golf Gala -- raised over $2 million
Assistant-made-good	Virginia's Dave Leitao	San Diego's Bill Grier
Delivery man of note	Ben Gordon	John Stockton
Barking dogs	Husky	Bulldog
Big break on the big screen	Ray Allen as Jesus Shuttlesworth in "He Got Game"	Axel Dench as a Wookiee in "Star Wars: Episode III"
Heartbreaking moment	Christian Laettner's buzzer-beater in 1990 Elite Eight	Khalid El-Amin's free throws in 1999 Elite Eight
Don't mention …	Losing as the overall No. 1 seed to George Mason in 2006 Elite Eight	Blowing a nine-point lead to UCLA in 2006 Sweet 16
Last football bowl game	Dec. 29, 2007	Dec. 25, 1922 (football program disbanded in 1942)
Onomatopoeia alums	Rip Hamilton	Bing Crosby
All-World hairstyle	Charlie Villanueva (representing the bald division)	Adam Morrison
State professional team that flew the coop	Hartford Whalers	Seattle Sonics
State's musical export	Peter Tork, The Monkees	Kurt Cobain, Nirvana
Best import	Hasheem Thabeet, Tanzania	Ronny Turiaf, Martinique
Famous state export	Lyme disease	Starbucks