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Post by Pounce Needs Pals on Mar 28, 2023 19:04:38 GMT -6
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Post by Pounce Needs Pals on Mar 28, 2023 19:12:26 GMT -6
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Post by ghostofdylan on Mar 28, 2023 19:18:52 GMT -6
Man, that was a rock fight!
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Post by Duct_Tape_Pounce on Mar 28, 2023 19:22:58 GMT -6
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Post by ghostofdylan on Mar 29, 2023 5:05:02 GMT -6
It's just a pity that almost every non-P5/6/7 conference is now automatically viewed as a "one-bid league" these days ... because C-USA (17-1) is clearly NOT! That has the look and feel of a three-bid league as much as anyone, yet it carries the dreaded "mid-major" tag and so it's overlooked. Another Gong Show performance by the NCAA!!!!
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Post by DunneDeal on Mar 29, 2023 6:01:39 GMT -6
Let's go FAU.
CBI went to C-USA and NIT will go to the C-USA, why not see something we've never seen before.
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Post by Cactus Panther on Mar 29, 2023 8:30:12 GMT -6
I am starting to think of it as C-AAC.
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Post by ghostofdylan on Mar 29, 2023 10:17:05 GMT -6
I am starting to think of it as C-AAC. If the C-AAC or whatever is a one-bid league next year, I quit. I really do.
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Post by TBone on Mar 29, 2023 11:27:58 GMT -6
The WCC has always been considered a mid-major conference, but rarely received a single bid. The MVC has also always been a mid-major but had a number of years where two or even three bids were received.
Consistency is incredibly difficult at the mid-major team and conference levels. What conference has been the most consistent? The WCC, which is the one case where an excellent mid-major team held onto their coach. But even the Zags - the torch bearer of the mid-majors - are exploring potentially leaving for greener pastures and a P5 conference move.
It's a matter of politics and money. The P5 conferences are what is shown on CBS or ESPN, while some even have their own TV networks. P5 conferences have money and the ease of recruiting is due to said money, televised games and/or players being scouted/drafted. It's a classic case of wealth inequality, but in the athletic sense. Those with the "wealth" don't want to lose it and are powerful enough to do the necessary things to keep it. Ask yourself this while being completely honest: if we had been in the Big Ten or Big East from day 1 of being a D1 school, and had never experienced life as a mid-major, would we be upset with the inequality of mid-majors and P5 schools? Some may honestly say yes, but the vast majority would likely say no. (or say yes, but honestly mean no)
You can complain all you want about the inequity, but nothing will ever change. Because those in power, will not relinquish that power for "the good of the sport". There is only looking out for #1. The only way out of the "have a bad night and your season is potentially over" is to make intelligent moves up. And that may be exactly what some schools in the "C-AAC" are doing.
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Post by buppie05 on Mar 29, 2023 11:48:16 GMT -6
Gonzaga is not only the class of Mid Majors, it’s the class of college basketball. I think they have 8-9 straight sweet 16’s and counting? We can all agree that they have usurped Duke at the moment as the top program in the nation?
They have been rumored for years to be moving on, and that has never happened. What has happened instead is a high tide has raised most ships in that conference. Now St Mary’s is a consistent NCAA tournament program, San Francisco is relevant again, Santa Clara LMU etc.
That is the way IMO. The WCC is on par with the Pac 12 , and may even pass them up in the next couple of years with what’s happening there.
This is the way to do it IMO. As the landscape has changed, conferences like the MVC have just turned into a more difficult 1 bid conference. Bias that exists within the selection committee will hopefully get replaced with analytics and AI , removing the human element. I worked professionally with narrow AI up until recently, and I know it could easily be implemented now.
Long story long, even if we were already a P5 program, I would have a problem with the way mid majors get treated. There is a better way to do things, and I think we get there sooner than later. In the meantime, just keep winning and building the program and be the relevance you want to see in the Horizon league. If the time comes to move conferences, be in a position to go to a multi bid league. Anything else is counter productive IMO.
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Post by reginaldkdwight on Mar 29, 2023 15:33:43 GMT -6
Gonzaga is not only the class of Mid Majors, it’s the class of college basketball. I think they have 8-9 straight sweet 16’s and counting? We can all agree that they have usurped Duke at the moment as the top program in the nation? They have been rumored for years to be moving on, and that has never happened. What has happened instead is a high tide has raised most ships in that conference. Now St Mary’s is a consistent NCAA tournament program, San Francisco is relevant again, Santa Clara LMU etc. That is the way IMO. The WCC is on par with the Pac 12 , and may even pass them up in the next couple of years with what’s happening there. This is the way to do it IMO. As the landscape has changed, conferences like the MVC have just turned into a more difficult 1 bid conference. Bias that exists within the selection committee will hopefully get replaced with analytics and AI , removing the human element. I worked professionally with narrow AI up until recently, and I know it could easily be implemented now. Long story long, even if we were already a P5 program, I would have a problem with the way mid majors get treated. There is a better way to do things, and I think we get there sooner than later. In the meantime, just keep winning and building the program and be the relevance you want to see in the Horizon league. If the time comes to move conferences, be in a position to go to a multi bid league. Anything else is counter productive IMO. No way is Gonzaga the class of the NCAA, 0 titles throughout all that success.
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Post by ghostofdylan on Mar 29, 2023 17:03:22 GMT -6
I have to agree with Reggie's take. How can Gonzaga be placed above, say, Kansas or North Carolina? If you want to put the Zags in the top 10 or even the top 5, be my guest. But they needed to win at least one title to be considered the top dog.
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Post by reginaldkdwight on Mar 29, 2023 17:15:03 GMT -6
Its pretty clearly Kansas or UNC. UCLA Mich St, on the next tier. Wouldnt even put Gonzaga in the top 20 personally. Once Few is gone its probably over.
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Post by buppie05 on Mar 29, 2023 19:21:39 GMT -6
Its pretty clearly Kansas or UNC. UCLA Mich St, on the next tier. Wouldnt even put Gonzaga in the top 20 personally. Once Few is gone its probably over. I’ll give you Kansas. UNC has a new coach, so it’s not the same program, also they missed the dance, which Gonzaga seems almost incapable of at this time. Gonzaga has had more recent success than UCLA. I do like the direction UCLA is going in with Cronin. Mich St, even still under Izzo, is not the program it was a decade ago IMO. My comment is about who is the top dog right now. Which IMO is Gonzaga , but Kansas May actually be the top dog and the Zags #2.
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Post by ghostofdylan on Mar 30, 2023 17:33:43 GMT -6
Prediction: C-USA will win another postseason tournament title tonight!
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