Embrace the hate.

http://espn1420.com/the-best-part-of-the...irds-nest/

(06-11-2018 02:15 PM)BirdofParadise Wrote:  Embrace the hate.

http://espn1420.com/the-best-part-of-the...irds-nest/

I get the thought process behind it but still don't like the fact that you can't drop back nor can you move up in seeding. There can actually be a case that the #4 seed could end up with the best record in the conference and still be seeded 4th. You could have the #3 team end up with the 7th best record (could have been ULM this year) and still guaranteed a bye and a home game.

(06-11-2018 02:15 PM)BirdofParadise Wrote:  Embrace the hate.

http://espn1420.com/the-best-part-of-the...irds-nest/

For me the important thing is fan buy in.

Take the NFL catch rule fiasco. Fans and gamblers never really understood why that play was a reception and the other was incomplete and if you can't understand how we got there, you don't trust the results.

If I'm a Georgia State fan and finish the year with the best record in the conference and don't get a bye to the semis or the second best record and don't even get a bye to the quarters, I'm not sure I'd buy in to the system. It isn't implausible that a team could finish with the first or second best record but land in the second pod because they lost a tiebreaker based on losing a cross-division game at App to a team that hosted App or because one division is significantly weaker that year and the other team had a smoother path.

ALL THAT SAID

The worst thing we can do is try to replicate the ACC because well we aren't the ACC and what they do is based on operating under significantly different conditions.

But fans have to buy in.

(06-11-2018 02:47 PM)InjunJohn86 Wrote:  

(06-11-2018 02:15 PM)BirdofParadise Wrote:  Embrace the hate.

http://espn1420.com/the-best-part-of-the...irds-nest/

I get the thought process behind it but still don't like the fact that you can't drop back nor can you move up in seeding. There can actually be a case that the #4 seed could end up with the best record in the conference and still be seeded 4th. You could have the #3 team end up with the 7th best record (could have been ULM this year) and still guaranteed a bye and a home game.

I have similar reservations but I'm willing to wait and see if the benefits outweigh the negatives. Should make for an entertaining stretch run in February if nothing else.

(06-12-2018 08:39 AM)arkstfan Wrote:  

(06-11-2018 02:15 PM)BirdofParadise Wrote:  Embrace the hate.

http://espn1420.com/the-best-part-of-the...irds-nest/

For me the important thing is fan buy in.

Take the NFL catch rule fiasco. Fans and gamblers never really understood why that play was a reception and the other was incomplete and if you can't understand how we got there, you don't trust the results.

If I'm a Georgia State fan and finish the year with the best record in the conference and don't get a bye to the semis or the second best record and don't even get a bye to the quarters, I'm not sure I'd buy in to the system. It isn't implausible that a team could finish with the first or second best record but land in the second pod because they lost a tiebreaker based on losing a cross-division game at App to a team that hosted App or because one division is significantly weaker that year and the other team had a smoother path.

ALL THAT SAID

The worst thing we can do is try to replicate the ACC because well we aren't the ACC and what they do is based on operating under significantly different conditions.

But fans have to buy in.

First of all, the regular season isn't decided until ALL games have been played. I think that is a misconception from fans. The conference season is 20 games, not 16.

Second, if you have one of the top three records, you are assured of finishing no worse than third, which gives you a quarterfinal bye.

But again, the purpose of the article was to bring out something that no one has talked about. Increased rivalries bring on increased attendance.

And that's something everyone in the league needs.

(06-12-2018 09:08 AM)BirdofParadise Wrote:  

(06-12-2018 08:39 AM)arkstfan Wrote:  

(06-11-2018 02:15 PM)BirdofParadise Wrote:  Embrace the hate.

http://espn1420.com/the-best-part-of-the...irds-nest/

For me the important thing is fan buy in.

Take the NFL catch rule fiasco. Fans and gamblers never really understood why that play was a reception and the other was incomplete and if you can't understand how we got there, you don't trust the results.

If I'm a Georgia State fan and finish the year with the best record in the conference and don't get a bye to the semis or the second best record and don't even get a bye to the quarters, I'm not sure I'd buy in to the system. It isn't implausible that a team could finish with the first or second best record but land in the second pod because they lost a tiebreaker based on losing a cross-division game at App to a team that hosted App or because one division is significantly weaker that year and the other team had a smoother path.

ALL THAT SAID

The worst thing we can do is try to replicate the ACC because well we aren't the ACC and what they do is based on operating under significantly different conditions.

But fans have to buy in.

First of all, the regular season isn't decided until ALL games have been played. I think that is a misconception from fans. The conference season is 20 games, not 16.

Second, if you have one of the top three records, you are assured of finishing no worse than third, which gives you a quarterfinal bye.

But again, the purpose of the article was to bring out something that no one has talked about. Increased rivalries bring on increased attendance.

And that's something everyone in the league needs.

I don't disagree.
When I moved to Little Rock, UALR even as a conference game was a so what. It was odd to see a X days to ASU sign going by UALR. It took a UALR shot bouncing around on the rim several times and falling in at Biloxi to get A-State interested and the league helped with a game at Barton where they gave UALR a three point play when UALR was fouled shooting and a different player tapped it in.

Familiarity does breed contempt.

But I have concerns over a team finishing with the 3rd or 4th best record taking the top seed or a team that bad luck tiebreakers out of a top three seed then ending up with the best or second best record.

There is no "right" nor "wrong" way to handle this tournaments inject a great deal of randomness so any tournament is going to have it and how you seed or award byes to try to minimize the randomness is going to have positives and negatives.

My concern is whether the fans will buy in if they see a team barely in the upper division of the standings taking the three seed or any of those other possible odd outcomes.

This is the entertainment business and if the ticket buyers don't get it or think it is bad, we have a problem.

It really is a tale of two conference seasons. I have no problem with the fourth team having a better record than the third. They played harder teams and shouldn't be punished for it.

My only issue is going to come from divisional imbalance. If one is greater than the other, the weaker division could get a team not worthy of being in the top three in, or two if the lower four are so terrible. With a round-robin within the division creating a balance, but six games with three home and three away, there is a real possibility that pod will put the second-best team in the second pod.

"The BEST thing about the new Sun Belt basketball scheduling" is nothing! Now that I've had time to digest this change a bit I hate it.

Embrace my absolute apathy toward the sport.

(06-14-2018 02:18 PM)troutbummike Wrote:  Embrace my absolute apathy toward the sport.

You emulate the attitide of your university quite well.

(06-15-2018 08:33 AM)BirdofParadise Wrote:  

(06-14-2018 02:18 PM)troutbummike Wrote:  Embrace my absolute apathy toward the sport.

You emulate the attitide of your university quite well.

I Don’t think you have an accurate read on our current athletic administration but as a representative of a fellow conference member I would expect a little more professionalism. If indeed you are not a representative then flame on, but you are still wrong on our commitment to improve.

(06-15-2018 08:33 AM)BirdofParadise Wrote:  

(06-14-2018 02:18 PM)troutbummike Wrote:  Embrace my absolute apathy toward the sport.

You emulate the attitide of your university quite well.

It’s going to be fun referring to this in a couple years. Who wins versus the other first, App basketball or ULL football?

(06-15-2018 12:11 PM)Saint3333 Wrote:  

(06-15-2018 08:33 AM)BirdofParadise Wrote:  

(06-14-2018 02:18 PM)troutbummike Wrote:  Embrace my absolute apathy toward the sport.

You emulate the attitide of your university quite well.

It’s going to be fun referring to this in a couple years. Who wins versus the other first, App basketball or ULL football?

I don't like basketball. That has nothing to do with my Alma Mater.

(06-15-2018 03:00 PM)troutbummike Wrote:  

(06-15-2018 12:11 PM)Saint3333 Wrote:  

(06-15-2018 08:33 AM)BirdofParadise Wrote:  

(06-14-2018 02:18 PM)troutbummike Wrote:  Embrace my absolute apathy toward the sport.

You emulate the attitide of your university quite well.

It’s going to be fun referring to this in a couple years. Who wins versus the other first, App basketball or ULL football?

I don't like basketball. That has nothing to do with my Alma Mater.

Given that statement, your attempted riducle of the sport the rest of us follow is certainly appreciated.

(06-15-2018 11:35 AM)trapdrawApp Wrote:  

(06-15-2018 08:33 AM)BirdofParadise Wrote:  

(06-14-2018 02:18 PM)troutbummike Wrote:  Embrace my absolute apathy toward the sport.

You emulate the attitide of your university quite well.

I Don’t think you have an accurate read on our current athletic administration but as a representative of a fellow conference member I would expect a little more professionalism. If indeed you are not a representative then flame on, but you are still wrong on our commitment to improve.

My comment comes from speaking with many of your student-athletes in various sports. That is their perception of the program. You can call me whatever you like. Reality is, App hasn't been very competitive in MBKB, WBKB, softball or baseball since you came into the league. There is a reason why.

I certainly hope times are changing at App. But right now, it is what it is.

App entered the SBC coming off two terrible hires in MBB and baseball. We have two coaches in place now that will turn that around.

Much like Hud has stunk up football since we joined.