Here We Go...Again!?!
by asalom on Dec 20, 2010 5:15 PM MST
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PrintI promise this will be quick. Just a thought, its time to vent:
It's so amazing the way things work in college athletics. In football, the BCS is the problem, and the power 6 conferences reap the benefits over and over. In basketball, its not an entity, but a conference. For the life of me I cannot understand why us little guys get no respect, while the big guys bask in the glory.
This year there have been so many perfect examples of how the playing field in college basketball is leveling out, and no longer are these big conferences as powerful as they get credit for. Just in the last week alone, Syracuse barely survived Iona at home 83-77, Illinois-Chicago beat no. 14 Illinois, Charlotte beat no. 7 Tennesse (who also lost to Oakland 3 days prior), no. 12 Villanova beat LaSalle by 3...this list goes on and on.
Despite the truth of things, the Big East now has 5 teams in the top 10 in the country, and 7 overall in the top 25. Last year was no different. The top 25 was completely littered with Big East teams, and EIGHT OF THEM MADE IT TO THE NCAA TOURNAMENT! EIGHT OF THEM! The worst part about that, only one of those teams made it to the elite 8 and beyond. No one else made it past the sweet 16, and half of them didn't make it out of the first round. You would expect a little better from such an "outstanding" conference.
Its because of this that thoughts of expansion for the NCAA tournament are even needed, and also because of this that every single year there are mid-majors fighting with other mid-majors for a bid to the tourney. Last year UTEP had reeled off 16 wins in a row before finally losing in the conference championship game. They were one of the last teams in the tourney as a 12 seed. Only one of those 8 Big East teams were seeded lower than 6 (Louisville was a 9).
Obviously, its still early in the season, but it seems like we're on our way to much of the same. Likely another year where the Big East gets 8 or 9 teams in. My main problem right now, is the fact that a team like UCF, who is undefeated at 10-0 with wins over South Florida, then no. 16 Florida, and Miami has to fight its way into cracking the top 25. A loss will undoubtedly drop them far down the ladder, while others get in and stay in simply because of their conference affiliations. It just completely "grinds my gears" (for those of you Family Guy fans out there). Anyway, I could go on forever about this, but I better wrap it up. It's left a sour taste in my mouth for a while now, so I'll let you all chew on it.
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you read my mind.....
this year might be different. I don’t see why C-USA can’t get 3 or even 4 teams in the tourney, then again….feels like u set yourself up for disappointment every year.
by lifegrind on Dec 20, 2010 9:25 PM MST via mobile reply actions
The Big East is overrated, yes they have some good teams, but it seems like they choke every year in the tourney.
The top of C-USA is playing very good Basketball right now. We SHOULD be able to get 3 teams in, but I highly doubt it. Memphis has ruined the perception of this league by being so dominant. Now that Calipari and his never ending slate of 1-and-done players are gone. C-USA should be able to prove that it is worthy of multiple bids. I just think it might take some time.
I agree Memphis is yalls problem...
most people measure the strength of CUSA by how Memphis does and even if teams are better than Memphis they don’t get the same respect, Memphis to the Big East may be a blessing in disguise similar to how TCU to the Big East could be perceived in the future.
It is what it is
It’s great that UCF is playing well right now but Florida losing to Jacksonville at home that throws that good home win out. If they keep it up obviously CUSA could see 2-3 teams in the tournament if UTEP, UCF, or Memphis wins the CUSA tournament. If a spare wins like last year I think that knocks one of the good regular season CUSA teams out. The problem is that the mid-majors only get so many chances (UTEP over GT to play Syracuse) to improve their resume out of conference and they need to dominate within the conference to get any love come tournament time. UTEP gets both Memphis and UCF at home this year and they need to take care of business at home just like last year. Thursday is a HUGE game for UTEP!
I completely disagree
Florida losing to jacksonville at home does not throw UCF’s win out. It only proves the point even more that these schools are not as dominant as the media, and people who control college athletics want to make them out to be…The fact that “mid-majors only get so many chances” shows just how biased the process is. Even worse, if we dominate our conference (like we did last year) we still dont get any love. We barely snuck in last year. The one thing you got right is that thursday is definitely a huge game for UTEP. Here is what sucks about that though. If UTEP loses, they will have a hard time getting in the tournament because that’s pretty much it for their non conference opportunities…But, remember this. Arizona just lost to BYU by 22. I guarantee you that won’t hold them out of the tournament come selection time. Even with the fact that the pac-10 isn’t very strong. Its such a double standard. Its all politics, and its all bullshit. Excuse my french.
Good Points Sirs
but I just can’t jump on the bashing big conferences band wagon, too much biased from living in Big East country for too many years. Need to hope BYU pulls a UTEP NM bowl performance on Thursday.
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