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Post by Super King on Feb 20, 2011 19:24:11 GMT -6
No, but it helped their case, which, again, is the whole point of the Bracketbusters event. Bracket Buster games are fun for those teams who are truly trying to differentiate themselves and help them get into the tournament. But the fact that there's 114 teams in the event is downright stupid. Why not pick teams who are in the top 100 in RPI come late January, because then the name "Bracket Buster" would actually be accurate? You'd have roughly 24 teams with all of them being on ESPN, ESPN2, or ESPNU. Narrowing the field would be a good idea, as would changing the criteria for matchups. |
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Rawls
Junior
Everyone's Entitled To My Opinion
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Post by Rawls on Feb 20, 2011 20:28:38 GMT -6
Narrowing the field is good in theory, but what happens to a team who in having an unexpectedly good season? Would Cleveland State and Valpo make the field? Butler and Detroit were the talk of the HL preseason, and both have been disappointing based on expectations. And if the BracketBusters name is truly what's bothering you, you're clearly just looking for things to get upset over at this point. The matchups are chosen based on actual results. That's why CSU and Valpo drew better matchups than Detroit and Milwaukee. So matches need to be selected during the season. If there's a better time slot that wouldn't interfere with anyone's schedule (while still giving the selection committee the opportunity to look over a significant amount of results) I'd be open to it.
We'll see better opponents when we play better. Funny how one week we're calling for Coach Jeter to be fired because our season has been such a disaster, then the next we're b*tching and moaning about our BB draw. When we're turning down Bowling Green, Western Michigan, South Dakota State, Miami U, SIUE, and Division II teams consistently then the BB may be outdated for us. When we become Butler or Gonzaga and don't need the national exposure because people know who we are, the BB may be outdated for us. Until then, sign me up.
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Post by Super King on Feb 20, 2011 20:39:52 GMT -6
If the field were to be narrowed, I'd be all for some sort of in-season scheduling scenario, with maybe some other series to match up the middle-of-the-road teams that get left out, kind of like the NIT to the Bracketbusters' NCAA Tournament. Either that or just have the Bracketbusters participants play in that one extra game. Schedules aren't even across the board anyway.
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Post by ghostofdylan on Feb 20, 2011 21:08:12 GMT -6
So, do those in charge of drawing the pairings think that Milwaukee is located somewhere near upstate New York?
Here's what I would change at a minimum: As others have suggested, move the games up to, say, mid-January. You still get the showcase, but an injury won't be quite as crippling. Also, appoint crews that regularly work together -- not all-star crews -- from a participating league other than the one from which the two teams hail. This will help avert issues like the one that occurred a few years ago at the Drake-Butler game and again Friday at the VCU-Wichita game. Too much conflict of interest. Even if the stakes are only perceived to be high, the pull is sometimes too great for the increased tourney revenue and exposure.
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Post by GoPanthers33 on Feb 20, 2011 21:21:46 GMT -6
"Utah State would be out of at-large consideration had they not beat St. Mary's. They were the biggest winners of the BB this weekend." So, the Aggies are now 1-2 against the RPI top 100 with a win over the No. 46 Gaels. Are they absolutely, positively in the tournament field? No, but it helped their case, which, again, is the whole point of the Bracketbusters event. Exactly... Without a single quality win they had no chance of getting an At-Large. Now, thanks to the BB event they have at least one win to build a legitimate tournament resume on. Plus they now get St. Mary's again in the future and as of late St. Mary's has been a good team so for Utah St. the BB was a HUGE WIN-WIN. |
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Post by JG Panthers on Feb 20, 2011 22:17:36 GMT -6
Narrowing the field is good in theory, but what happens to a team who in having an unexpectedly good season? Would Cleveland State and Valpo make the field? Butler and Detroit were the talk of the HL preseason, and both have been disappointing based on expectations. And if the BracketBusters name is truly what's bothering you, you're clearly just looking for things to get upset over at this point. The matchups are chosen based on actual results. That's why CSU and Valpo drew better matchups than Detroit and Milwaukee. So matches need to be selected during the season. If there's a better time slot that wouldn't interfere with anyone's schedule (while still giving the selection committee the opportunity to look over a significant amount of results) I'd be open to it. That's what I was suggesting. This year 3 or 4 teams from the Horizon League would have made the BB. Obviously choosing those teams before the season isn't a good idea... |
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Post by Super King on Feb 20, 2011 23:40:31 GMT -6
The Bracketbuster event should take place smack in the middle of conference play, not at the end of it.
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Post by ghostofdylan on Feb 21, 2011 10:05:23 GMT -6
Big D:
You nailed it once again. This is exactly why I wrote that no fan base and no program should advocate the end of the BracketBusters series more than ours.
The Panthers have become notorious for their molasses-slow starts to the season ... and are now 1-8 in this event. Just call us "The Not Yet Ready For Prime-Time Players."
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Post by PantherLou on Feb 21, 2011 10:43:56 GMT -6
Here's my problem with the Bracketbusters:
It's just not that exciting. It was intended to be a showcase of mid-major basketball teams playing games that mattered. Most of the games this weekend had little national significance, and that makes for dull games, IMO.
Furthermore, its not like they suspend "Major Conference" games this weekend, either. Frankly, the Pitt-St. John's game was far more interesting than any of the BB games.
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Rawls
Junior
Everyone's Entitled To My Opinion
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Post by Rawls on Feb 21, 2011 11:10:50 GMT -6
I'd be for moving them to mid-January, and I'd be for independent/impartial officiating (one from each participating conference and a third from another?). Glad to see we're moving on to how to improve the BBs as opposed to just getting rid of them.
As far as geography, The distance between Milwaukee and Buffalo isn't much more than that between DeKalb and Buffalo (635 vs 515 driving distance via Google Maps) DeKalb is home to NIU, who is in the MAC with Buffalo. When Minnesota plays Penn State in Big Ten play, they travel 828 miles. Buffalo really isn't that damn far away. Consult your nearest map. They're big boys. They can handle it.
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Post by JG Panthers on Feb 21, 2011 11:34:13 GMT -6
I'd be for moving them to mid-January, and I'd be for independent/impartial officiating (one from each participating conference and a third from another?). Glad to see we're moving on to how to improve the BBs as opposed to just getting rid of them. Me too. I had considered leaving the state in protest of the Bracket Busters, but instead, I decided it would just be better to throw in my own thoughts. ;D |
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Post by ghostofdylan on Feb 21, 2011 17:50:47 GMT -6
"Frankly, the Pitt-St. John's game was far more interesting than any of the BB games."
Louie, I just can't go down that road with you. It's one of the reasons why I was so opposed to expansion of the NCAA tournament to 96 teams. Both St. John's and Pitt are already in. Do I really need to see these teams play 18 times to make my determinations?
The CSU-ODU most certainly had some meaning; I really wish, though, that if they're going to make this a showcase that they move it to mid-January ... and give it a better window.
How about devoting all programming on ESPN2 that day to BracketBusters and showing them continuously for 16 hours? That way, many of us won't be kept from seeing some of the better matchups. Also, how about giving us some of the more high-profile play-by-play guys?
If we're going to do this, let's truly give mid-majors their due.
How about holding College GameDay from the Constant Center instead of from the Carrier Dome?
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Post by Pounce Needs Pals on Feb 21, 2011 20:24:20 GMT -6
Pitt- St. John's was a great game!
I agree and said they should move the BracketBuster event to January. I love your idea about college gameday.
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