Syracuse and other whiners who didn't make the NCAA tournament

Michigan

Sorry, but there were a number of teams on the "bubble" and not everybody is going to make it, the last four or five could probably
be justly argued either way. I just wish teams would accept the fact that they didn't make the cut with more class than what I have
seen so far.

Syracuse - from what I have heard the selection committee felt they played too many weaker non conference games early in the
season and that hurt them. I believe that the NCAA has warned in the past that it could hurt you during the selection process but
apparently some teams didn't take it seriously.

kcballboy

My thoughts exactly

ziggy29

<< <i>Syracuse - from what I have heard the selection committee felt they played too many weaker non conference games early in the
season and that hurt them. I believe that the NCAA has warned in the past that it could hurt you during the selection process but
apparently some teams didn't take it seriously. >>

The committee wants it both ways.

On one hand, they punish mid-majors for not playing tough OOC opponents late in the season (which they put more emphasis on than matchups in December). On the other hand, they punish the "big boys" from the major conferences if they DO play these mid-majors, particularly late.

Damned if you do, damned if you don't.

jlbsquared

Reasons why SU deserved to be in the tourney and it's probably ignorant to call a bunch of 18-22 yr. old kids "whiners" for the media questioning why they aren't in -

22-10 record, better than 20 teams in the tourney...

Finished ahead of both Marquette and Villanova in the Big East standings...

5-5 vs. NCAA tourney teams

The committee talks about how important the stretch run is. Yeah right - Cuse goes 6-2 down the stretch incuding a win vs a red-hot Gtown team whos now a 2 seed - I don't want to name teams (cough Stanford cough) but some teams that got in played like crap down the stretch.

10-6 in a power conference, while teams with a losing record in other conferences got in at large.



I've seen way worse "whining" on this board - like when people whine about trivial, inconsequential things like the NHL season being too long for their liking....

Volver

Drexel should be in...road wins at Syracus, 'Nova and Creighton.

How did Akron not even make the NIT at 26-7

ctsoxfan

I think Syracuse should have gotten in, but that soft early schedule might be the reason they had a 22-10 record. I used to hate the same thing about UConn every year - they would play such a weak early schedule, and Calhoun never scheduled any tough teams before they could beat up on 10-12 cupcake teams. They changed it a bit slightly over the last couple of seasons, but not much.

Still, I would have certainly picked Syracuse (and Kansas State and Air Force, also) over Stanford.

Michigan

<< <i>Reasons why SU deserved to be in the tourney and it's probably ignorant to call a bunch of 18-22 yr. old kids "whiners" for the media questioning why they aren't in -

I haven't heard the players whining, it has been the coaches and people like Dick Vitale, they are setting a bad example for the
students.

jlbsquared

<< <i>I haven't heard the players whining, it has been the coaches and people like Dick Vitale, they are setting a bad example for the >>



Agree with you about Vitale, though I guess that what he gets paid to do and some people out there must like him enough to put stock in what he says...

Haven't really heard too much from Boeheim, he's been snubbed before and usually handles this stuff pretty well - though I'm sure he wants to defend his team, the seniors have been playing their hearts out and the backcourt of Rautins and Devendorf was really starting to gel...

IrishMike

Sure they have a right to complain but when you play only 9 road games and 21 home games then maybe you need to look at how you schedule. I am sure the committee looked at this. At least play some of the cupcakes on the road.

ziggy29

Syracuse deserved it more than Stanford or Arkansas, IMO. But I can think of other teams (Drexel, Kansas State) that might have deserved it more than the 'Cuse.

ctsoxfan

Just heard Boeheim on Mike & The Mad Dog's radio show - he laid out a great case for Syracuse being in the tournament (their strength of schedule, including cupcake teams, was still a lot higher than several other questionable tournament teams like Stanford and Arkansas). He handled himself well, but his team seems to have gotten a major shafting.

Connecticoin

Well, the NIT thought 'Cuse was the 5th best team or worse Not In the Tournament -- they are a #2 seed.

Darin

The selection committee contradicts themselves. They said they were going to place a lot of emphasis on how teams did in their conference postseason tourneys. So Kansas State absolutely hammers Texas Tech in the first round by 21 points, and Tech gets in and K-State is left out.

They should have just given the real reason Texas Tech got in, because Bob Knight is their coach.

Instead they say Tech plays in the tougher south division of the big twelve.

I don't like K-State, but they got robbed.

joestalin

ok, raise your hand if you beat the Gators and Duke at Duke and still didn't get into the 64.

JS

ctsoxfan

You can't really make an argument for Florida State - they were 5-12 against the top 50 RPI opponents that they faced. They may have beaten Florida, but beating Duke this year isn't that big a deal - and they lost in big time games to Pittsburgh and Wisconsin.

Drexel, Syracuse, Kansas State, and Air Force have legit arguments.

And, how about Wright State beats Butler twice (including the Horizon league title game) and still gets a 14 seed, while Butler gets a 5?

Michigan

<< <i>

<< <i>I haven't heard the players whining, it has been the coaches and people like Dick Vitale, they are setting a bad example for the >>



Agree with you about Vitale, though I guess that what he gets paid to do and some people out there must like him enough to put stock in what he says...

Haven't really heard too much from Boeheim, he's been snubbed before and usually handles this stuff pretty well - though I'm sure he wants to defend his team, the seniors have been playing their hearts out and the backcourt of Rautins and Devendorf was really starting to gel... >>




Boeheim is usually a class act but not this year, he is being very outspoken but the longer he complains the less sympathy I have for him.
Let it go already and get ready for the NIT.

IrishMike

<< <i>ok, raise your hand if you beat the Gators and Duke at Duke and still didn't get into the 64.

JS >>



Take a bow if your team lost 5 games in a row in February and 6 out of your last nine.

ziggy29

<< <i>They should have just given the real reason Texas Tech got in, because Bob Knight is their coach. >>

Agreed. K-State was more deserving than Tech, IMO. The Knight Factor may have been the difference, which is a shame.

Estil

At least this time there were no five loss teams left out.

jlbsquared

Oh, OK... Now I see why Stanford got in over SU....

coinkat

I think Illinois and Purdue were more desrving than Syracuse. Illinois played well for about 35 minutes