PWR - L16

[Keith K]

BRA, I don't believe that all of the NCAA's decisions are based solely on money.  I do believe that certain decisions are and the number of teams in a tournament is probably influenced by dollars.  But it's certainly not the only reason.  However, even if $$$ had absolutely nothing to do with the decision I would still be in favor of requiring a team to win to get in and it probably would never happen.  A lot of folks have the idea that inclusion is the best thing for sports, to give everyone a chance, spur interest, etc.  I think that American sports have gone way overboard on this. Sports is about competition and the spirit of competition is best served by rewarding winning - whether it be in terms of tournament bids or admission to the league tournaments (letting all 12 teams in is ridiculous, IMO).
BTW, when I said that a loss in the first round would mean that Cornell wouldn't deserve a bid, I didn't mean to imply that the committee wouldn't give them one if the PWR numbers warranted it.  The Vermont '97 situation showes this (I mistakenly said '96 before) and I didn't mean to say that they'd do it differently now (even though that's what my comment about UVM sounds like).  I simply meant that if Cornell were to lose in the QFs I wouldn't think they were worthy and therefore wasn't going to bother giving L16 stats for that possibility.
One more thing: I do have a habit of writing NC$$ instead of NCAA, which reflects the opinion that a lot of the decisions of that body, especially with regards to the big money sports, are motivated by cash.  I think I picked it up from HOCKEY-L a few years ago.  Largely it's a reflex now.

[Keith K]

I think it would be perfectly reasonable to say at the beginning of the season: there will be two NCAA seeds from each of the six conferences. The conferences can allocate these however they want -- by RS title, PS title, RS 1 and 2, PS 1 and 2, PWR, whatever. Now you all know the rules, now go out and win a seed, and don't come whining to us.

Yes!!!!!  I've been thinking exactly that for a while now.

> For the record, I also hate wildcards, expansion, artificial turf, shoot
> outs, the dh rule, and overtime in football.

Agreed, except that I don't mind the NFL's version of overtmie that much (I don't like the college version).

[Al DeFlorio]

It's happening in nearly every area, not just sports, Keith.  

Take the annoying and seemingly ubiquitous bumper sticker:  "My child was student-of-the-week at Elmer Fudd Middle School."  Well...whoop-de-do!  Will that go on his/her application to Harvard?  In ten years we'll have "student-of-the-day," I regret to say.

We used to have an "outstanding player" award for the ECAC tournament.  Now it's for the "most outstanding player."  Why?  Did it bruise the egos of other players that they might be thought of as less than "outstanding?"

The good news is that Larry Summers (a fellow kid from New Haven) is concerned about grade-inflation at Harvard.  I wish him well.  Effecting change there is like moving a cemetery. ::nut::

[Al DeFlorio]

Now--as long as we're rewriting the rules--if we can ban air horns, sirens, train whistles, bells, and the like...I'll third the motion.B-]

This business about wondering whether a team that you beat--or lost to--in October or November will finish as a TUC or not on the last day of the conference tournaments so it will affect your PWR one way or the other in March...whew...is just ridiculous. ::yark::

[KeithK]

Agreed. It's this silly idea that we can't risk hurting someone's feelings by distinctions based on performance or ability.

[nshapiro]

Ben F,

I have long advocated that the NCAA basketball tourney should seed the top half...this would mean that seeds 1-8 in each region would be chosen by the committee...the remainder should be randomly assigned.  This would mean that the Northwest Southland conference champ wouldnt have to play the ACC champ every year.

I know that some would complain about no regional representation...conference foes could meet in the first round...etc...but...

Tough...we are only talking about changing around the first round matchups....assuming no upsets, then everything else is the same.