(03-13-2012 03:30 PM)chiefsfan Wrote:  

(03-13-2012 02:45 PM)FIU4Ever Wrote:  

(03-13-2012 02:24 PM)MTPiKapp Wrote:  

(03-13-2012 02:16 PM)FIU4Ever Wrote:  

(03-13-2012 02:05 PM)MTowho Wrote:  I don't know. I would get the FIU opinion on the matter but I don't think any of their fans have made it to Hot Springs to see a game yet.

So only teams with fans that go to the tourny should be allowed to play for a NCAA berth?
Your best season and you get replaced at the dance by a subpar WKU (not even close to their best season). A team that played 4 games in 4 days vs a team that played 3 in 4 days. I guess if I was in your shoe I would be trying to twist the rules as well.

Okay, for starters he didn't say there was any correlation between fans at the tournament and being allowed to play, just about weighing in on the format of the tournament.

Secondly, it's not "twisting the rules" if that kind of format goes on in other conferences.

Lastly, it's not just MT fans who feel this way and if it had been FIU who had come in in our position and choked like we did, we'd still feel the same way. If we want to improve the image and perception of our league, we need to take further steps to protect our best teams and make sure they are who represent us in the NCAA tournament.

It is twisting the rules. We want our #1 to get to the dance, for the 2nd year in a row the #1 falls on their face in the tourny. So we want to change the rules because they can't get out of the tourny with 3 wins. WKU used to succeed with the current rules in place, so it's not like it is impossible to do.

Secondly, here is my problem with that logic: we want to protect our best teams so they can progress as far as possible. We want to do this by putting into place rules that would almost guarantee that they get a spot at the highest level. Yet we complain when the BCS conferences do the same to us. Every year they use innovative ways to keep the BCS bowls to themselves and we complain and we talk about playoff and leveling the playing field and .... But we think a level playing field is bad in conference.

The fact is MTSU had some bad losses and did not dominate weaker opponents (like an FIU for example) because if they had done this, an at-large spot would be penned in long ago.

It doesn't matter that much to me if the format stays the same or if it changes to one similar to you suggestion. My issue is, are we trying to fix the symptom or are we trying to fix the problem.

If the #1 falls in the Semis...so be it. The idea is to keep them from having to play 3 games in 3 days. As a #1 seed they should enjoy a significant advantage on another team. Having to play 1 day after everyone else does is not an advantage. Its almost a disadvantage.

That and we're going to a 20 game conference schedule from 16, which will probably have a negative impact to the more successful teams' RPIs depending on the schools' OOC scheduling changes to account for the changes. If we're going to have more regular season conference games, we need to value them more.

Maybe I typed too many words in my response. So to sum it up I'm asking you experts from schools with a much much longer BB traditional than a FIU fan, why should our best team(s) have to wait on a coordinated semis match-up to secure a spot at the dance?
We seem to be suggesting that playing one extra game in the tourny was the reason why our last two #1s never made the dance.

(03-13-2012 03:40 PM)FIU4Ever Wrote:  Maybe I typed too many words in my response. So to sum it up I'm asking you experts from schools with a much much longer BB traditional than a FIU fan, why should our best team(s) have to wait on a coordinated semis match-up to secure a spot at the dance?
We seem to be suggesting that playing one extra game in the tourny was the reason why our last two #1s never made the dance.

Probability of winning two straight games > Probability of winning three straight games

Not implying that was the reason, but it doesn't help the cause.

(03-13-2012 03:46 PM)MTowho Wrote:  

(03-13-2012 03:40 PM)FIU4Ever Wrote:  Maybe I typed too many words in my response. So to sum it up I'm asking you experts from schools with a much much longer BB traditional than a FIU fan, why should our best team(s) have to wait on a coordinated semis match-up to secure a spot at the dance?
We seem to be suggesting that playing one extra game in the tourny was the reason why our last two #1s never made the dance.

Probability of winning two straight games > Probability of winning three straight games

ok, got it. The conference can never be good enough to be more than an auto-bid so let's make sure the top team get in.

Thanks.

(03-13-2012 02:45 PM)FIU4Ever Wrote:  Secondly, here is my problem with that logic: we want to protect our best teams so they can progress as far as possible. We want to do this by putting into place rules that would almost guarantee that they get a spot at the highest level. Yet we complain when the BCS conferences do the same to us. Every year they use innovative ways to keep the BCS bowls to themselves and we complain and we talk about playoff and leveling the playing field and .... But we think a level playing field is bad in conference.

The thing is, every team in our conference has an equal shot of being the top team in the conference to get the advantage in our tournament. Not every team in the country as an equal opportunity to make a BCS bowl.

(03-13-2012 05:30 PM)GoBigRed26 Wrote:  

(03-13-2012 02:45 PM)FIU4Ever Wrote:  Secondly, here is my problem with that logic: we want to protect our best teams so they can progress as far as possible. We want to do this by putting into place rules that would almost guarantee that they get a spot at the highest level. Yet we complain when the BCS conferences do the same to us. Every year they use innovative ways to keep the BCS bowls to themselves and we complain and we talk about playoff and leveling the playing field and .... But we think a level playing field is bad in conference.

The thing is, every team in our conference has an equal shot of being the top team in the conference to get the advantage in our tournament. Not every team in the country as an equal opportunity to make a BCS bowl.

Not exactly. Playing one or two extra games will lower your chance of winning the tournament. Every team has a chance but not equal