Say what you will about Dicky V, but I love the way he

sticks up for the little guys... I know, I know, many or most of you can't stand him. I know, you think he's loud and obnoxious, but I love his passion and preparation. Kudos to Vitale for sticking up for the Davids of the world with Jay, Digger, and Reece.

Click on "Debating the 65"

Seriously, have these guys even seen Arizona play? It's often that Dickie V and I aren't on the same page, but he's absolutely correct here. Bilas is an idiot - "This is a meritocracy?" Bull. This is about your school's name and the conference you play in.

I like Bilas, and you know I love Digger, but they were flat wrong on this one. Vitale is right, it is VERY difficult for the litlle conferences and even the mid-majors to schedule non-conference games with good teams, unless they want to play all road games. Sure, we've managed getting home and home series a few times, but it's very difficult to do it year in and year out on a consistent basis. There is little or no incentive for the big guys to schedule the little guys unless it's a sure home win. If it's a road game, they have nothing to gain and everything to lose.

Seriously, Arizona lost 5 of their last 6 and the committee is supposed to look at how teams finish. Meritocracy? Fair? Hardly Jay.

To your point, and Dick's, today the CBS guys were talking about all the good wins SMC had, and mostly on the road since they can't get many quality opponents to come to Moraga.

Speaking in general terms, when mid-majors put together the best schedules they can and perform well while playing those schedules, what more can they do? Is this really a fair system? How long until the smaller conferences get fed up and ask for a basketball Division I-AA? (Probably not in my lifetime, but this has got to be frustrating for a lot of programs out there.)

Oregon State didn't play us this year. How long until UW won't come to our house, especially if we win once in a while? If the NW power conference schools won't play us, We'll be on the road for every tough non-conf game.

Glad to see Dickie V stand up for the mid majors... but then he kind of un-did everything he said by giving a big kudos to the selection commitee at the end...

up7587 wrote:Oregon State didn't play us this year. How long until UW won't come to our house, especially if we win once in a while?

I'd be surprised if they played us next year... I think this year fulfilled our home and home with them...

Rob's Jacket wrote:Seriously, have these guys even seen Arizona play? It's often that Dickie V and I aren't on the same page, but he's absolutely correct here. Bilas is an idiot - "This is a meritocracy?" Bull. This is about your school's name and the conference you play in.

I love the mid-majors as much as anyone, but, Arizona did beat UCLA, UW, Gonzaga, and Kansas. Even with their mediocure record, I think that they proved themselves. But, yeah, just the word "meritocracy" is annoying as bleep.

Do you think after Jay Bilas makes a point he turns to Digger of camera, snaps and points and yells, "Lawyered!"

athleticjames wrote:

Rob's Jacket wrote:Seriously, have these guys even seen Arizona play? It's often that Dickie V and I aren't on the same page, but he's absolutely correct here. Bilas is an idiot - "This is a meritocracy?" Bull. This is about your school's name and the conference you play in.

I love the mid-majors as much as anyone, but, Arizona did beat UCLA, UW, Gonzaga, and Kansas. Even with their mediocure record, I think that they proved themselves. But, yeah, just the word "meritocracy" is annoying as bleep.

Good points, but just to play devil's advocate, they also lost 5 of their last 6 and went 9-9 in what was an overall weak PAC 10 this year.

Yeah, I think we're both playing devil's advocate here. Continuing the argument though just comparing 2 of the teams that ESPN said might be among the last teams in:

SMC: RPI ranking: 47; Strength of Schedule Ranking: 150th (Ouch!) Who would you rank as SMC's biggest wins? I still don't understand why you add EWU to a schedule that was already weak. I don't get it.

Arizona: RPI ranking: 62; Strength of Schedule Ranking: 34th. Big wins: UCLA, UW, Gonzaga, and Kansas.

Gonzaga was a common opponent that SMC (due to Mills' injury or not) was unable to beat. I won't say that the system is fair, but, the selection group has impossible choices to make. That's why I really like our early season tourney next year that includes teams such as UCLA and mid-majors as well. If we do well in that one, we'll set ourselves up for a better RPI ranking going into WCC play.

James, I think they added that game more to showcase Patty Mills being healthy. I think they knew their RPI would drop, but they were hoping the Committee would recognize that.

mattywizz wrote:James, I think they added that game more to showcase Patty Mills being healthy. I think they knew their RPI would drop, but they were hoping the Committee would recognize that.

I understand that, but, seriously with so many conference tourneys being shown non-stop on ESPN, ESPN2, and local channels, I really don't think anyone had time to pay attention. I think that game hurt them more than it helped...not that it should have affected the final decision. Anyway, like I said the selection group makes impossible decisions. I don't want to do it anytime soon... I can't really defend SMC's strength of schedule as much as I'd like to see them in the tourney.

athleticjames wrote:Yeah, I think we're both playing devil's advocate here. Continuing the argument though just comparing 2 of the teams that ESPN said might be among the last teams in:

SMC: RPI ranking: 47; Strength of Schedule Ranking: 150th (Ouch!) Who would you rank as SMC's biggest wins? I still don't understand why you add EWU to a schedule that was already weak. I don't get it.

Arizona: RPI ranking: 62; Strength of Schedule Ranking: 34th. Big wins: UCLA, UW, Gonzaga, and Kansas.

Gonzaga was a common opponent that SMC (due to Mills' injury or not) was unable to beat. I won't say that the system is fair, but, the selection group has impossible choices to make. That's why I really like our early season tourney next year that includes teams such as UCLA and mid-majors as well. If we do well in that one, we'll set ourselves up for a better RPI ranking going into WCC play.

The biggest issue for me in terms of who shouldn't have got in wasn't necessarily Arizona. It was definitley the Big 10 getting in 7 teams. IMO, only four teams from the Big 10 should have gone: MSU, Purdue, Illinois, and OSU. Should have been out IMHO - Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Michigan. It's not a strong enough conference to warrant 7 teams, and the Big East is the only confernece that warranted inclusion of that many teams. Yes, they won a few impressive non-conference games here and there, but overall, bottom line, they were all mediocre teams (those three teams)in a mediocre conference that beat each other up. Don't get me started on Penn State crying the blues. They have NOTHING to complain about. Just go look at their non-conference schedule - a complete joke (much like Joe Pa's non-conference schedules). Who would I have put in for those three teams? St Marys, SDSU, and probably Creighton.

I hate the Big 10, and I wouldn't have minded that change. At the same time, its RPI has been ranked among the highest of the conferences this year:

http://www.warrennolan.com/basketball/2009/conferencerpi

But, yeah...7 teams is a lot.

I don't understand how the Big-10 gets so highly rated every year.

Seriously, when are they going to stop getting, ne wasting one of the At-larges in the BCS?

Well.. Any conference with 11 teams but still calls itself the Big 10 should not be trusted...

do you really count Indiana U this year?

mattywizz wrote:do you really count Indiana U this year?

Only because of their sweet warm up pants...

Why, did the stripes spell out "We Play Hard"?

mattywizz wrote:Why, did the stripes spell out "We Play Hard"?

If only Tom Crean had that sort of wordsmithing ability....

Just imagine if Dominic James had not gotten hurt. Marquette would probably have a 3 SEED, and Indiana would have 3 WINS.