Superfan Season opening discussion

I’m copying something I wrote last season for the top teams.

‘86 is clearly number 1 and I think ‘09 is a solid number 2 having defeated 3 ranked teams that season (Syracuse, Butler and Wake Forest).

Then the other 80’s teams would be in the discussion (‘85 plus the ‘87 & ‘88 NIT teams), as well as Norris Coles’ regular season conference champ/NIT team in ‘11. Sam Mitchell’s ‘93 team might be in the discussion despite not playing in the post season (probation I believe). The ‘13 team with Forbes, Grady and Lewis was talented but underachieved. And of course there’s 2021’s regular season/tournament champs that joined the ‘86 group as the only team to pull off that feat.

I’d go:
1. 1986
2. 2009
3. 1987 (gets the nod over ‘85 and ‘88 because they still had McFadden, Ramsey, Mudd and Hood from the Sweet 16 team and it’s the only season that core played with Kenny Robertson)
4. 2011 (Norris Cole and his hightop fade were unstoppable - that team likely makes the NCAA if D’Aundray Brown is healthy)
5. 2021

As for top 10 players, that’s much harder.

I’ll start with the retired numbers:
Franklin Edwards
Mouse McFadden
Norris Cole
Clinton Ransey

Then add draft picks:
Darren Tillis (1st round)
Clinton Smith (5th round and key player on the Sweet 16 team)

Then I’ll add the most talented players I’ve seen personally:
Cedric Jackson
Omari Westley
Trey Lewis
J’Nathan Bullock

Honorable mention to Bryn Forbes, Kenny Robertson and Jamal Jackson.

Your 5th ranked team I feel like I could easily play devil's advocate with. That 2021 team won regular season and conference tournament of probably the worst conference CSU has ever been in as a colleciton of teams (along with 2022). Granted, I was too young to remember anything about the mid-Con days, but It's pretty much impossible for me to say that 2021 team was "better" than 2011-2012. The definition of the word better I guess is in the eye of the beholder. That 2011-2012 team beat a top 10 nationally ranked team to open the season, on the road at Vanderbilt, then beat a top 50 team nationally in St Bonaventure who had a future NBA big man on their team, Andrew Nicholson. Granted they didn't make the NCAA tournament, and I think frankiemeatballs is ranking team off of "end of season accomplisments", but to me that 2011-2012 team has to be in the top 5. (2011-2012 was also the season of the Superfan videos on YouTube LOL)

I agree there are more talented teams than 20-21 but for a program that hasn’t won a lot, hanging banners means something. The 11-12 team severely underachieved in my mind. The conference was starting its downfall and they let a golden opportunity to win the conference slip through their fingers down the stretch.