Nadine Babu STrib blog: It’s March and I LOVE the Madness

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I read her article and really enjoyed it. I even made a comment of thanks, and in reality was very surprised that the StarTrib Blog Police did not delete it.

Thanks for that description of excitement, happiness, disappointment, and all emotions in between, GopherLady.

But, GL, you do realize that some will chastise you. Ignore them and keep up the good work.

Thank you.

Doc
 


Yes, this is a shot at the Big East. 11 teams made it in, only 2 teams made it to the Sweet 16. There are actually more double digit seeds that made it to the Sweet 16 (3 – VCU, Marquette, and Florida State) than Big East teams.
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More Big East hate!!

There are actually four double digit seeds (left out Richmond). Of course, Marquette is from the Big East and as an 11 seed actually shows how deep the conference truly is. Definitely a poor performance in the tourney by the Big East, but the Big Least/they're overrated/shouldn't have had 11 stuff is off base (talking about commentary of many people, not related to Nadine's article).

I'm with Katz on this one:
Andy Katz said:
The Big East has two teams left in the NCAA tournament, but it's not a reflection on the regular season. The Big East deserved every one of the 11 bids. Those are two different arguments. I never believed outside of Pitt that the Big East had a team that could even reach the Final Four. Connecticut still could and, of course, so can Marquette, but the odds are less likely based on the East regional. But crushing the Big East in the NCAAs is a moot argument. The 11 bids were deserved.
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By the way... non-conference performance...
Big 12 0.8047% SOS-21
Big East 0.7950% SOS-2
Big 10 0.782% SOS-3
ACC 0.7135% SOS-13
Pac-10 0.6694% SOS-4
SEC 0.6982% SOS-7
 

GW, for the record (because I know we had a little discussion on the Big East yesterday), I think the Big East deserved every one of its bids. ... they were all worthy. I certainly never said they didn't deserve all 11. There wasn't a question in my mind about any of 'em.

My bone of contention, of course, was what the Big East teams did once they got there (NCAA) with favorable (and deserved) seeds, hence my overrated argument. Fortunately for you, your favorite squad is carrying the Big East banner quite nicely.
 


GW

Gopher Warrior said:
More Big East hate!!

There are actually four double digit seeds (left out Richmond). Of course, Marquette is from the Big East and as an 11 seed actually shows how deep the conference truly is. Definitely a poor performance in the tourney by the Big East, but the Big Least/they're overrated/shouldn't have had 11 stuff is off base (talking about commentary of many people, not related to Nadine's article).

I'm with Katz on this one:


By the way... non-conference performance...
Big 12 0.8047% SOS-21
Big East 0.7950% SOS-2
Big 10 0.782% SOS-3
ACC 0.7135% SOS-13
Pac-10 0.6694% SOS-4
SEC 0.6982% SOS-7
Click to expand...

I have to admit that with the exception of Marquette, I harbor Big East hate. Marquette deserves to be in a better conference.

:)
 

SelectionSunday said:
GW, for the record (because I know we had a little discussion on the Big East yesterday), I think the Big East deserved every one of its bids. ... they were all worthy. I certainly never said they didn't deserve all 11. There wasn't a question in my mind about any of 'em.

My bone of contention, of course, was what the Big East teams did once they got there (NCAA) with favorable (and deserved) seeds, hence my overrated argument. Fortunately for you, your favorite squad is carrying the Big East banner quite nicely.
Click to expand...

I think you just hate the Big East! ;)

Sounds like we mostly agree then -- the Big East has not done well in the tourney. No doubt about that. Some of the seeds were a little goofy (considering a couple of key injuries and recent performance, a few were seeded better than might have been deserved), but definitely was OK with 11 in.

@Section201 - there is no better conference! Only gets better next year.. with a *17th* team added!
 

I have a soft spot for DePaul. Great basketball tradition, but I'm afraid they made a horrible mistake going to the Big East. Conference USA seems like a better fit.

Even being located in the original "March Madness" state of Illinois and the talent hotbed Chicago, I have a hard time seeing DePaul ever making a serious dent in the Big East.
 

GW

17th Team ??? !!! TCU? I forgot about that.

I am old school. If you can't play every team in your conference home and away, your conference is too damn big. That goes for the "Legends and Leaders" :rolleyes: too.

If they get any bigger they can be their own Collegiate Division. D3, D2, D1, and the new DE.

:)
 



I think much of the griping from critics of the Big East reflects a basic ignorance of mathematics. 11 seems like a huge number but it is a huge conference. Big East gets 11 out of 16 which means 69 % percent of the conference got in. Big Ten had 7 out of 11 which equals 64 %. Drop one Big East team and they have a lower percentage in the NCAAs than the Big Ten.

Big East really needs Conneticut and or Marquette to win at least one more game. If both Marquette and UConn lose in the next round, the Big East will be humiliated as its best non-Big East tournament win will be Marquette over #6 seed Xavier. That will be a disaster.

I do agree with Selection Sunday that a fair bit of the riducule is due to ESPN though.
 

Surely the football and non-football schools of the Big East are going to break apart at some point? They're not going to stay at 17 teams. Either UCF or Memphis will be added. And 18 teams in one conference is a joke. There's no reason for them not to split into two regular sized conferences at that point.
 

How about two conferences out there: Big East East, Big East West?
 

"It helps remind me of the immense appreciation I have for March Madness and how sacred college basketball is to me."

One Shining Moment is the best.
 



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