Big Dance Bracket

[bb fan]

I am to the point where I just don't give a crap about the NCAA tournament anymore. It is just an obvious sham the Power 5 conferences are getting away with. It's not about the best teams getting the at large bids. And everyone knows about this and sees it. I have no intention of of watching any games, filling out a bracket (have not done this in awhile, anyway) or anything related to this rigged event. It's makes me sad. The college basketball post season tourney use to be a big deal to me. It was my favorite sport to follow. But I just can't get passed something now set up to only benefit the powerful and not work to put the best teams in the tourney. I think they are hurting the tourney. Fans like underdogs and cinderellas, and the P5 is doing everything they can to eliminate this aspect of the tourney. In the long run, they a hurting college basketball and eventually even themselves because of their greed.

 

[V Boy]

I am to the point where I just don't give a crap about the NCAA tournament anymore. It is just an obvious sham the Power 5 conferences are getting away with. It's not about the best teams getting the at large bids. And everyone knows about this and sees it. I have no intention of of watching any games, filling out a bracket (have not done this in awhile, anyway) or anything related to this rigged event. It's makes me sad. College basketball use to be a big deal to me. It was my favorite sport to follow. But I just can't get passed something now set up to only benefit the powerful and not work to put the best teams in the tourney. I think they are hurting the tourney. Fans like underdogs and cinderellas, and the P5 is doing everything they can to eliminate this aspect of the tourney. In the long run, they a hurting college basketball and eventually even themselves because of their greed.

This sounds very socialist to me. This is a dog-eat thing whether we like it or not.

If the Valley isn’t relevant anymore than get busy livin.

Complaining isn’t going to lead anywhere.

Wichita knows this. Gonzaga knows this. Temple knows this. Xavier knows this. And so on and so forth....

 

[Bird Friend]

I am to the point where I just don't give a crap about the NCAA tournament anymore. It is just an obvious sham the Power 5 conferences are getting away with. It's not about the best teams getting the at large bids. And everyone knows about this and sees it. I have no intention of of watching any games, filling out a bracket (have not done this in awhile, anyway) or anything related to this rigged event. It's makes me sad. College basketball use to be a big deal to me. It was my favorite sport to follow. But I just can't get passed something now set up to only benefit the powerful and not work to put the best teams in the tourney. I think they are hurting the tourney. Fans like underdogs and cinderellas, and the P5 is doing everything they can to eliminate this aspect of the tourney. In the long run, they a hurting college basketball and eventually even themselves because of their greed.

This sounds very socialist to me. This is a dog-eat thing whether we like it or not.

If the Valley isn’t relevant anymore than get busy livin.

Complaining isn’t going to lead anywhere.

Wichita knows this. Gonzaga knows this. Temple knows this. Xavier knows this. And so on and so forth....

So let the dog eat its thing. Doesn’t mean we have to like watching it. I plan to watch little of the tourney. I didn’t watch much last year and didn’t miss it.

And socialist? Really? :roll:

 

[bb fan]

Well said, Bird Friend.

You can't tell a team like St. Mary's, or us last year you did not get in because you didn't play anyone, When those teams they say we need to play intentionally don't play you to get more of their own teams in. It is rigged, that's all. So I am not gonna watch something obviously fixed.

 

[V Boy]

I am to the point where I just don't give a crap about the NCAA tournament anymore. It is just an obvious sham the Power 5 conferences are getting away with. It's not about the best teams getting the at large bids. And everyone knows about this and sees it. I have no intention of of watching any games, filling out a bracket (have not done this in awhile, anyway) or anything related to this rigged event. It's makes me sad. College basketball use to be a big deal to me. It was my favorite sport to follow. But I just can't get passed something now set up to only benefit the powerful and not work to put the best teams in the tourney. I think they are hurting the tourney. Fans like underdogs and cinderellas, and the P5 is doing everything they can to eliminate this aspect of the tourney. In the long run, they a hurting college basketball and eventually even themselves because of their greed.

This sounds very socialist to me. This is a dog-eat thing whether we like it or not.

If the Valley isn’t relevant anymore than get busy livin.

Complaining isn’t going to lead anywhere.

Wichita knows this. Gonzaga knows this. Temple knows this. Xavier knows this. And so on and so forth....

So let the dog eat its thing. Doesn’t mean we have to like watching it. I plan to watch little of the tourney. I didn’t watch much last year and didn’t miss it.

And socialist? Really? :roll:

Yeah really. We aren’t entitled to anything. Figure it out or become yesterday’s news.

 

[V Boy]

Well said, Bird Friend.

You can't tell a team like St. Mary's, or us last year you did not get in because you didn't play anyone, When those teams they say we need to play intentionally don't play you to get more of their own teams in. It is rigged, that's all. So I am not gonna watch something obviously fixed.

St Mary’s plays in a bad conference. The top team in the conf is leaving because they know that.

Same with Wichita.

Same with Xavier.

Dayton will do it too.

The only way out is to win over and over and over.

Does ISU even want to leave the Valley? I have no reason to believe we have any aspiration to leave.

 

[CaliRdBrd]

I am to the point where I just don't give a crap about the NCAA tournament anymore. It is just an obvious sham the Power 5 conferences are getting away with. It's not about the best teams getting the at large bids. And everyone knows about this and sees it. I have no intention of of watching any games, filling out a bracket (have not done this in awhile, anyway) or anything related to this rigged event. It's makes me sad. The college basketball post season tourney use to be a big deal to me. It was my favorite sport to follow. But I just can't get passed something now set up to only benefit the powerful and not work to put the best teams in the tourney. I think they are hurting the tourney. Fans like underdogs and cinderellas, and the P5 is doing everything they can to eliminate this aspect of the tourney. In the long run, they a hurting college basketball and eventually even themselves because of their greed.

I have a good friend that is a P5 graduate (Maryland). He agrees that no one wants to see the cinderellas. I disagree, but then, maybe I'm biased? Maybe we all are? Maybe the world wants to see UK vs Duke every year and has no interest whatsoever in seeing Gonzaga, Butler.

 

[bb fan]

Cali, I understand why your friend from Maryland does not want to see Cinderellas His Terrapins can never be one. I certainly think the bulk of college basketball fans want Cinderellas. UK vs Duke type get boring every year, I think they are hurting college basketball with their greed.

 

[bb fan]

I don't know what ISU wanting the leave the Valley has anything to do with this discussion, VBoy. As usual, you avoid the main issue. The system is fixed. The ISU's and St. Mary's of the world are told they don't play anyone. Those teams we are supposed to play WON'T PLAY US. Do you have anything to say about this? Rather than your usual rant about how we stink, and our conference stinks, and we basically don't deserve to exist?

That's why I won't be watching. I like to think there is a modicum of fairness involved in something I am willing to have any interest in. You can keep watching this special powerful club play amongst themselves if you wish.

 

[V Boy]

I don't know what ISU wanting the leave the Valley has anything to do with this discussion, VBoy. As usual, you avoid the main issue. The system is fixed. The ISU's and St. Mary's of the world are told they don't play anyone. Those teams we are supposed to play WON'T PLAY US. Do you have anything to say about this? Rather than your usual rant about how we stink, and our conference stinks, and we basically don't deserve to exist?

That's why I won't be watching. I like to think there is a modicum of fairness involved in something I am willing to have any interest in. You can keep watching this special powerful club play amongst themselves if you wish.

They don’t play us because of what conference we are in dude. It’s not rocket science.

 

[birdballfan]

I don't know what ISU wanting the leave the Valley has anything to do with this discussion, VBoy. As usual, you avoid the main issue. The system is fixed. The ISU's and St. Mary's of the world are told they don't play anyone. Those teams we are supposed to play WON'T PLAY US. Do you have anything to say about this? Rather than your usual rant about how we stink, and our conference stinks, and we basically don't deserve to exist?

That's why I won't be watching. I like to think there is a modicum of fairness involved in something I am willing to have any interest in. You can keep watching this special powerful club play amongst themselves if you wish.

I will be watching and rooting for every underdog team playing! If/when it gets down to just the power teams playing I'm done. Have no desire to see the Dukes, Kentucky's, Syracuse, Arizona, etc play!

 

[bb fan]

Dude, they don't play us because when they don't give us a bid they can say it's because we didn't play them. Same for Middle Tenn, St Mary's, etc, etc, etc. That's why, dude. It's not rocket surgery.

Good post Birdballfan. I think a lot of fans look at the tourney the way you do.

 

[CaliRdBrd]

The only way to get respect in the eyes of the media is what Gonzaga did...
Get into the tournament, get to at least the Sweet 16, rinse/repeat. Once you do that consistently, you’ll start to get P5 teams to come to our place and you’re on your way
Problem is ya gotta get to the NCAA’s...

 

[bb fan]

As long as a team is told they didn't get in is because they did not play the necessary teams, and those necessary teams won't schedule the aspiring teams, the system will always be clearly rigged. It should not be about getting respect from the media, or anybody else. It's simple fairness.

That's why I won't be watching. It's not equitable. And it is actually boring, seeing the same teams beat up on each other year after year, not because they are better teams, only because they control the process.

 

[V Boy]

As long as a team is told they didn't get in is because they did not play the necessary teams, and those necessary teams won't schedule the aspiring teams, the system will always be clearly rigged. It should not be about getting respect from the media, or anybody else. It's simple fairness.

That's why I won't be watching. It's not equitable. And it is actually boring, seeing the same teams beat up on each other year after year, not because they are better teams, only because they control the process.

ISU is at a competitive disadvantage because of the conference it plays in. The fact that you want to ignore this and just make everyone in good conferences play everyone in not good conferences makes no sense.

If you are Michigan there is no reason to play Western Michigan. Michigan has absolutely nothing to gain from playing that game year in and year out. It doesn’t help their resume. They don’t need another quality win. They get plenty of those playing in the Big Ten.

I don’t like it either, but it just is that way.

There are only two ways for ISU to make the Dance:

1) win the Valley Tournament over and over like Gonzaga.

2) leave the Missouri Valley

And it probably needs to be in that order.

 

[bb fan]

I know I know, VBoy. We suck. Valley sucks according to you. Still not the point.

I don't think it is a lot to ask, that the NCAA treats all of it's members the same.This should not require us or anybody else to leave our conference as you think it should. There are many ways they can do something about this. I like Dick Vitale's and bawhale's idea. No one gets in with a sub .500 conference record.

But the NCAA is the lapdog of the P5. So I am not watching.

 

[V Boy]

I know I know, VBoy. We suck. Valley sucks according to you. Still not the point.

I don't think it is a lot to ask, that the NCAA treats all of it's members the same.This should not require us or anybody else to leave our conference as you think it should. There are many ways they can do something about this. I like Dick Vitale's and bawhale's idea. No one gets in with a sub .500 conference record.

But the NCAA is the lapdog of the P5. So I am not watching.

What exactly do you mean when you say “treats all it’s members the same?”

 

[bb fan]

That really needs an explanation, VBoy? The NCAA has a clear definition. for these priviledged schools. The Autonomous 5. They don't even pretend all members are treated the same. They have allowed the P5 to hijack the whole D1 men's basketball tourney selection process. They could do any number of things to level the playfield.

Imagine for a minute teams like the NY Yankees and the LA Dodgers were allowed created the MLB playoff criteria, And they insisted that all other MLB teams compete with them to be considered, but they won't schedule teams like the KC Royals or the Tampa Rays. The way the NCAA selection process is the same.

I am tired of it. I am not watching. Many others are telling me the same. Not only because it is rigged, but because it is BORING. But what you say is we need to CHANGE CONFERENCES. NOW! Sheesh.

 

[V Boy]

That really needs an explanation, VBoy? The NCAA has a clear definition. for these priviledged schools. The Autonomous 5. They don't even pretend all members are treated the same. They have allowed the P5 to hijack the whole D1 men's basketball tourney selection process. They could do any number of things to level the playfield.

Imagine for a minute teams like the NY Yankees and the LA Dodgers were allowed created the MLB playoff criteria, And they insisted that all other MLB teams compete with them to be considered, but they won't schedule teams like the KC Royals or the Tampa Rays. The way the NCAA selection process is the same.

I am tired of it. I am not watching. Many others are telling me the same. Not only because it is rigged, but because it is BORING. But what you say is we need to CHANGE CONFERENCES. NOW! Sheesh.

Level the playing field. Treat everyone the same. Sounds socialist to me.

Your best argument would be that the big boys cheat and pay players. That should be severely punished. But that doesn’t mean the NCAA should break up the ACC because it’s filled with good teams. But the funniest part of all of this is to pretend for one second that basketball is even important to any of these leagues.

You remember when Butler was in the Horizon? Then the A10. And now the Big East? That’s how you do it.

I would bet in 5 years Loyola has a decent chance to move to the Big East if Moser
Keeps winning. Catholic. Geographically desirable. Natural rivalry with DePaul.

What’s ISU’s plan?

 

[ISU86]

Well said, Bird Friend.

You can't tell a team like St. Mary's, or us last year you did not get in because you didn't play anyone, When those teams they say we need to play intentionally don't play you to get more of their own teams in. It is rigged, that's all. So I am not gonna watch something obviously fixed.

St Mary’s plays in a bad conference. The top team in the conf is leaving because they know that.

Same with Wichita.

Same with Xavier.

Dayton will do it too.

The only way out is to win over and over and over.

Does ISU even want to leave the Valley? I have no reason to believe we have any aspiration to leave.

Dayton will do it too ... IF SOMEONE WILL TAKE THEM.

Illinois State would do it too ... IF SOMEONE WILL TAKE THEM.

It is not as if you get on Trivago, fill out your P5 request, and they come back with a conference.

What is the roadmap to get to the next tier ... keeping in mind that all of the schools at that tier would love to be at the top one if offered.

I would love to be in the American or Mountain West, but even that may not be high enough if/when the 64 schools jettison themselves to their own island ... the members of the AAC and MWC are an uneasy alliance where all of the members are ready to flee.