tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1697242053625998558.post1796017154074057055..comments2024-03-29T00:38:31.950-04:00Comments on The Heath Post: The 2015 NCAA Men's Division I 68 Team BracketGoHeathhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11122010542579322600noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1697242053625998558.post-85521511440440787692015-03-17T16:32:09.531-04:002015-03-17T16:32:09.531-04:00My first guess is that it had something to do with...My first guess is that it had something to do with host gyms hiring local refs for the district tournaments and you'd take both champions and runnerup to hedge against some kind of rigjob.Erichttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11218278987255792995noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1697242053625998558.post-74080602155379923412015-03-17T14:41:47.107-04:002015-03-17T14:41:47.107-04:00Oh, yeah. I think it absolutely was designed for ...Oh, yeah. I think it absolutely was designed for that purpose.GoHeathhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11122010542579322600noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1697242053625998558.post-63244886590966338672015-03-17T09:43:44.350-04:002015-03-17T09:43:44.350-04:00Yeah, I get that. I just wonder if that was the in...Yeah, I get that. I just wonder if that was the intent of the design--to provide one level of mercy. Erichttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11218278987255792995noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1697242053625998558.post-6934732979196185262015-03-16T19:31:32.836-04:002015-03-16T19:31:32.836-04:00That's the only bit of mercy in the whole syst...That's the only bit of mercy in the whole system. If you're good enough to get to the district final, they're willing to cut you a break. But THAT'S IT.GoHeathhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11122010542579322600noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1697242053625998558.post-28426439764414146582015-03-16T17:17:19.371-04:002015-03-16T17:17:19.371-04:00The part of the Kentucky setup that particularly i...The part of the Kentucky setup that particularly interests me is that both the winner and runnerup of the district tournament advance to the regional.Erichttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11218278987255792995noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1697242053625998558.post-38559220256303563562015-03-16T13:57:25.105-04:002015-03-16T13:57:25.105-04:00I'm fascinated by the fact that when Kentucky ...I'm fascinated by the fact that when Kentucky set up its own tournament for High School basketball, the folks in Kentucky did everything possible to eliminate any role for a subjective judgment -- even if that means Ballard has to play Trinity in the Round of 64.GoHeathhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11122010542579322600noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1697242053625998558.post-42646013356920296892015-03-16T11:25:57.346-04:002015-03-16T11:25:57.346-04:00The problem, of course, is that they allow enough ...The problem, of course, is that they allow enough team fanbases in that there's never the critical mass of really, really angry people. I mean, I think it's jive that Murray State got left out, but I'm not going to get really fired up unless my true team gets jobbed--and then, when that happens, it just sounds like sour grapes. So you get four or five pods of rage across the country every year and then you get a lot of #smh/#NC2A shrugging, but that's not enough to really pressure anyone into any change. Instead, a selection-committee member or two speaks confidentially with a few national writers about the logic behind the more curious decisions, and the writers start to understand how the committee arrived at their picks, and then the games start, and then--see!--20-10 StateU gets excited about playing up to its potential and knocks out mid-major-champion WXU, and that's that until another March rolls around.Erichttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11218278987255792995noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1697242053625998558.post-1163374012921911252015-03-16T09:47:01.724-04:002015-03-16T09:47:01.724-04:00Agreed. I have no idea why they still keep it suc...Agreed. I have no idea why they still keep it such a mystery. I find it odd that they give the Big East so much credit after it did very poorly last year in the NCAA. The last two Big East teams to win the tournament were Connecticut and Louisville and they are no longer in the Big East. <br /><br />To me Wilbon made a great point about a team like Murray State the other day. He was saying that if the committee is going to reward continued excellence, like picking Indiana and UCLA over others, then why wouldn't they treat Murray State with the same respect. They have been a competitive program for decades now and yet they get no respect for their accomplishments. Matthew Vaughnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10349035708120354682noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1697242053625998558.post-91170932194961248422015-03-16T08:54:06.927-04:002015-03-16T08:54:06.927-04:00The whole process is just so unnecessarily mysteri...The whole process is just so unnecessarily mysterious. It's really a shame, because, otherwise, the NC2A tournament is so much fun. I would support pretty much any correction that would put more doors and windows into the committee room.Erichttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11218278987255792995noreply@blogger.com