SelectionSunday
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I preface all this by stating that the Big 10 -- despite all of its warts and abundance of "fugly" games this season -- is currently the #1 rated conference in the RPI. To be completely fair, RPI ratings are not the be-all and end-all. I understand that. In fact, I'm in agreement with the ESPN wonks that the Big East and ACC (in that order) are better than the Big Ten, though I don't need to be pounded over the head with it at every turn. I would have the Big Ten a clear #3.
What I am not in agreement with, however, is ESPN's insistence on taking potshots at the Big Ten at every opportunity. Case in point, I give you Fran Fraschilla last night. Speaking about the Big 10, Fraschilla said (paraphrasing) "the Selection Committee will take a good, hard, long look at the Big 10 and perhaps decide that the conference is not as good as it appears to be in the conference ratings."
Huh?
How can I rip this idiotic statement? Let me count the ways.
(1) For the millionth time, and you would think the talking heads at ESPN would know this by now, TEAMS gets bids not CONFERENCES. How many times does the Selection Committee have to point that out? Once they have the 31 automatic conference qualifiers, CONFERENCE AFFILIATION MEANS NOTHING. In layman's terms Fran, get it through your head. ... teams 32-65 are, in affect, INDEPENDENTS being judged on their own individual merits.
(2) Does Fraschilla really think the guys involved in the selection process -- highly respected people at the top of their profession -- are going to put their heads together at the start of their meetings and say, "Hey folks, such & such a conference isn't really as good as its rating so let's make sure they don't get too many bids." Again, idiotic Mr. Fraschilla.
(3) Most importantly. ... . here's what pisses me off the most. Let's roll with Fran's thesis that the Big Ten should be "downgraded" in the eyes of the Selection Committee because it's not that good in comparison to some others. I would assume he's basing that opinion on how the Big Ten performed in November and December vs. other top-flight leagues & teams, etc. That's the only thing he'd be able to fairly judge it on because the major conferences January through March are just beating up on each other.
Let's look at some of the wins the Big Ten earned outside of the league in November and December and tell me how Fraschilla can come to the conclusion that the committee should downgrade the Big Ten as a league and, in essence, penalize its teams in contention for at-large bids.
(1) Illinois (currently 3rd in the Big 10) pounded Mizzou on a neutral court. Mizzou is tied for 2nd in the Big 12 and a lock for the NCAA Tournament.
(2) Iowa, one of the clear bottom two in the Big Ten, beat Kansas State (tied for 6th in the Big 12) on a neutral court.
(3) Bubble team Michigan (tied for 8th in the Big 10) beat Duke (2nd in the ACC) at home and UCLA (2nd in the Pac 10) on a neutral court. Both Duke and UCLA are locks for the NCAA Tournament, while Michigan is just fighting to get in.
(4) Conference champ Michigan State scored a Big 12 trifecta beating Kansas (at Breslin), Texas (neutral court) & Oklahoma State (neutral court). Big 12 leader Kansas and Texas (tied for 4th) are locks for the NCAA Tournament, while Okie State (also tied for 4th) has a very good chance of making the field.
(5) Bubble team Minnesota (tied for 5th in the Big 10) beat Louisville (tied for 1st in the Big East) on a neutral court. Louisville is now being considered as a possible #1 seed.
(6) Bubble team Northwestern (tied for 8th in the Big 10) crushed Florida State in Evanston. Florida State (tied for 4th in the ACC) is a lock for the NCAA Tournament.
(7) Bubble team Ohio State (tied for 5th in the Big 10) beat Butler in Columbus, Miami-Florida on the road and Notre Dame on a neutral court. Butler is a lock for the NCAA Tournament, Miami-Florida is an ACC bubble team & Notre Dame, well, your network has been telling us how great they are all season, so if that's the case you better give the Buckeyes credit for that win.
(8) Purdue (2nd in the Big 10) beat Boston College (8-7 in the ACC) on a neutral court. BC is a bubble team & will likely get a NCAA bid if it beats Georgia Tech this weekend.
(9) Bubble team Wisconsin (tied for 5th in Big Ten) won at Virginia Tech. Virginia Tech is a fellow bubble team from the ACC.
I would argue that there's enough evidence here that the Big 10 can hold its own against the best leagues. So I ask you Mr. Fraschilla, what more did/does the Big Ten as a conference need to do in November & December to meet your criteria as a quality conference?
What I am not in agreement with, however, is ESPN's insistence on taking potshots at the Big Ten at every opportunity. Case in point, I give you Fran Fraschilla last night. Speaking about the Big 10, Fraschilla said (paraphrasing) "the Selection Committee will take a good, hard, long look at the Big 10 and perhaps decide that the conference is not as good as it appears to be in the conference ratings."
Huh?
How can I rip this idiotic statement? Let me count the ways.
(1) For the millionth time, and you would think the talking heads at ESPN would know this by now, TEAMS gets bids not CONFERENCES. How many times does the Selection Committee have to point that out? Once they have the 31 automatic conference qualifiers, CONFERENCE AFFILIATION MEANS NOTHING. In layman's terms Fran, get it through your head. ... teams 32-65 are, in affect, INDEPENDENTS being judged on their own individual merits.
(2) Does Fraschilla really think the guys involved in the selection process -- highly respected people at the top of their profession -- are going to put their heads together at the start of their meetings and say, "Hey folks, such & such a conference isn't really as good as its rating so let's make sure they don't get too many bids." Again, idiotic Mr. Fraschilla.
(3) Most importantly. ... . here's what pisses me off the most. Let's roll with Fran's thesis that the Big Ten should be "downgraded" in the eyes of the Selection Committee because it's not that good in comparison to some others. I would assume he's basing that opinion on how the Big Ten performed in November and December vs. other top-flight leagues & teams, etc. That's the only thing he'd be able to fairly judge it on because the major conferences January through March are just beating up on each other.
Let's look at some of the wins the Big Ten earned outside of the league in November and December and tell me how Fraschilla can come to the conclusion that the committee should downgrade the Big Ten as a league and, in essence, penalize its teams in contention for at-large bids.
(1) Illinois (currently 3rd in the Big 10) pounded Mizzou on a neutral court. Mizzou is tied for 2nd in the Big 12 and a lock for the NCAA Tournament.
(2) Iowa, one of the clear bottom two in the Big Ten, beat Kansas State (tied for 6th in the Big 12) on a neutral court.
(3) Bubble team Michigan (tied for 8th in the Big 10) beat Duke (2nd in the ACC) at home and UCLA (2nd in the Pac 10) on a neutral court. Both Duke and UCLA are locks for the NCAA Tournament, while Michigan is just fighting to get in.
(4) Conference champ Michigan State scored a Big 12 trifecta beating Kansas (at Breslin), Texas (neutral court) & Oklahoma State (neutral court). Big 12 leader Kansas and Texas (tied for 4th) are locks for the NCAA Tournament, while Okie State (also tied for 4th) has a very good chance of making the field.
(5) Bubble team Minnesota (tied for 5th in the Big 10) beat Louisville (tied for 1st in the Big East) on a neutral court. Louisville is now being considered as a possible #1 seed.
(6) Bubble team Northwestern (tied for 8th in the Big 10) crushed Florida State in Evanston. Florida State (tied for 4th in the ACC) is a lock for the NCAA Tournament.
(7) Bubble team Ohio State (tied for 5th in the Big 10) beat Butler in Columbus, Miami-Florida on the road and Notre Dame on a neutral court. Butler is a lock for the NCAA Tournament, Miami-Florida is an ACC bubble team & Notre Dame, well, your network has been telling us how great they are all season, so if that's the case you better give the Buckeyes credit for that win.
(8) Purdue (2nd in the Big 10) beat Boston College (8-7 in the ACC) on a neutral court. BC is a bubble team & will likely get a NCAA bid if it beats Georgia Tech this weekend.
(9) Bubble team Wisconsin (tied for 5th in Big Ten) won at Virginia Tech. Virginia Tech is a fellow bubble team from the ACC.
I would argue that there's enough evidence here that the Big 10 can hold its own against the best leagues. So I ask you Mr. Fraschilla, what more did/does the Big Ten as a conference need to do in November & December to meet your criteria as a quality conference?