I guess VCU belongs!

[ruralgopher]

What justifies their selection is what SS is saying, in that their resume, when looking at it without bias, squares up to the rest of the bubble teams quite decently.

I also think that if two resumes are similar it should always go to a small conference school over a major school. These are the types of teams that make the tourney fun, not the Fla State's of the world having a nice run as a low seed.

 

[Unregistered User]

But just because they have won 3 games in a row in the tourney doesn't mean they belong.

As I've said VCU has earned the love during the tournament, but that doesn't change the fact they didn't do the work to earn the love.

Their resume wasn't better, they didn't get the job done in the regular season. Sorry for believing people who's job it is to know college basketball over 10 people who's job it is to run an athletic department.

Does success in March Madness for a team that many argue shouldn't be in justify them being in? I think the answer is clearly no...thus I argue they shouldn't be in the tourney in the first place.

Wow...Purdue will CRUSH them! When's the game? I've been out-of-pocket for a few days. I wonder if VCU will even show up, only to get embarrassed.

 

[Drex96]

Perhaps Shaka Zulu? LOL

Shaka Zulu was a well-celebrated Zulu warrior, so that would be my guess. Kinda like naming your son "Andre" or "Andrew" if you are of northern European descent.

 

[OSUfan]

But just because they have won 3 games in a row in the tourney doesn't mean they belong. At the end of the day VCU's resume wasn't tourney quality compared to other teams. If a team is unable to get a NCAA tournament quality resume during the regular season, especially in a year with a weak bubble, they shouldn't be in the tournament. I don't care if VCU win's the National Championship, there were teams that should have been in ahead of VCU.

Ouch. Sounds like sour grapes to me. It sure looks like they belong in the Sweet 16. It looks like the Committee made a shrewd and wise choice in putting VCU in the "last four in" instead of, for instance, Virginia Tech.

 

[Portlandgopher]

Portland Gopher, I think we are arguing 2 questions:

1. Did VCU one the 37 best resumes on Selection Sunday? Subjective answer we may never agree on.

2. Does success in March Madness for a team that many argue shouldn't be in justify them being in? I think the answer is clearly no, you disagree, which is fine, but if DePaul got an at-large bid somehow and won a few games that doesn't mean they had on of the 37 Selection Sunday, thus I argue they shouldn't be in the tourney in the first place.

Agreed on Point 1.

The DePaul analogy is ridiculous, but I get your point. We aren't talking about the worst team in a major conference. We are talking about a team that you have to admit was pretty comparable to other bubble teams. Every at large team can be argued against not belonging that doesn't mean they shouldn't be in.

You have said VCU shouldn't have made it because it was a weak bubble and they did nothing to elevate themselves above other bubble teams. The same could be said for Colorado and Virginia Tech.

Since we will never know who is the better team between Virginia Tech and Virginia Commonwealth, I think its fair to look at the tourney and validate the selection with the run VCU is on. How else would you like to judge the job the selection committee did, look at rpi's on selection sunday and judge then or see how things play out?

It may not be fair but talking heads look at conference records in the tournament to show who is the best conference. It's obvious you don't agree and thats okay, but I want to know how many Virginia Tech fans are complaining about being passed up for VCU today. My bet would be less than the fans complaining about UAB and USC.

I admit the NCAA surprised ESPN but that doesn't mean they screwed up. Virginia Commonwealth didn't cheat the system or get in on an error. They had just as much of an argument as other teams (see SelectionSundays post). If you are sure VCU didn't belong you have to say the same about USC and UAB.

If VCU got run out of the gym in the play in games, the national media would have been talking about how they didn't belong much like they did with UAB. When they win three games in a week its just as fair to say they showed they belong in the tournament.

 

[zipsofakron]

Agreed on Point 1.

The DePaul analogy is ridiculous, but I get your point. We aren't talking about the worst team in a major conference. We are talking about a team that you have to admit was pretty comparable to other bubble teams. Every at large team can be argued against not belonging that doesn't mean they shouldn't be in.

You have said VCU shouldn't have made it because it was a weak bubble and they did nothing to elevate themselves above other bubble teams. The same could be said for Colorado and Virginia Tech.

Since we will never know who is the better team between Virginia Tech and Virginia Commonwealth, I think its fair to look at the tourney and validate the selection with the run VCU is on. How else would you like to judge the job the selection committee did, look at rpi's on selection sunday and judge then or see how things play out?

It may not be fair but talking heads look at conference records in the tournament to show who is the best conference. It's obvious you don't agree and thats okay, but I want to know how many Virginia Tech fans are complaining about being passed up for VCU today. My bet would be less than the fans complaining about UAB and USC.

I admit the NCAA surprised ESPN but that doesn't mean they screwed up. Virginia Commonwealth didn't cheat the system or get in on an error. They had just as much of an argument as other teams (see SelectionSundays post). If you are sure VCU didn't belong you have to say the same about USC and UAB.

If VCU got run out of the gym in the play in games, the national media would have been talking about how they didn't belong much like they did with UAB. When they win three games in a week its just as fair to say they showed they belong in the tournament.

Great post and response. How you differentiate the bubble teams and say VCU definitely shouldn't be in is a ridiculous prospect. Let the tourney be the validation, especially when you're splitting hairs on RPI, SOS and the like. You and SS have definitely said it best so far.