The Pac 10 free-for-all

[SelectionSunday]

We all know it's historically bad this season, but will there be a more even (read: competitive) conference tournament to follow come Championship Week?

First and last place are separated by 2.5 games. Arizona, ASU, Cal and UCLA share the lead with 6-4 records. Oregon State is in 10th (3-6), yet only two games out in the loss column. In between are five teams with 4 or 5 conference losses. The Pac 10 will be lucky if it gets a second NCAA bid, but the tournament has the potential to be really wild. They literally could be fighting for a solo bid, unheard of for one of the power conferences.

 

[GopherRock]

Yeah, 'ol Juan Bid is threatening to strike out in PX land.

If the Pac-10 is the Conference of Champions, men's BB needs a huge asterisk next to it.

 

[GVBadger]

I think it was only a couple years ago that people were calling the Pac 10 one of the strongest conferences of all time, or something to that effect. If you don't believe these things go in cycles this year, then you never will.

Has one of the "BCS" (I hate that term) conferences ever received one bid? If they pull it off this year, that would be awesome. If you don't think any program can go in the toilet, you just have to pay attention this year.

They should rename the Pac 10 tournament this year the SWAC tournament, because one bid could go out to the winner.

 

[SelectionSunday]

Conference strength is definitely cyclical. The talking heads at ESPN, especially, conveniently neglect to mention that more often than not. A few years ago the ACC was the only conference on the planet that mattered, now it's the Big East.

 

[akoch6767]

Swap Gonzaga for Oregon State...this would help make it a stronger conference...Gonzaga is also a prospering University that could become a decent sized Pac 10 school...although it is private...

 

[Saber]

Has one of the "BCS" (I hate that term) conferences ever received one bid? If they pull it off this year, that would be awesome. If you don't think any program can go in the toilet, you just have to pay attention this year.

They should rename the Pac 10 tournament this year the SWAC tournament, because one bid could go out to the winner.

Why set the bar at 1 bid? they could legitimately get 0 bids if Cal struggles a bit more and either USC or Arizona wins the conference tourney. Both of those schools are barring themselves from post-season play this year.

 

[mnboiler]

Swap Gonzaga for Oregon State...this would help make it a stronger conference...Gonzaga is also a prospering University that could become a decent sized Pac 10 school...although it is private...

Basically what you are saying is that the Pac-10 should expand and add Gonzaga. While I don't disagree with that. I think it would be much more likely for the Pac-10 to pick up BYU and Utah. That would mostly happen if the B10 expands. If the B10 does expand it basically forces Pac-10 to. BUY and Utah would be the most likely combo. If the Pac-10 doesn't go with the BYU, Utah combo look for the Pac 10 go after Gonzaga and I'm not sure. Another way for the Pac-10 to go would be the Colorado method in which case the Buff's might take along Colorado State to the Pac 10. In which case the B12 adds TCU. If Pitt goes to the B10 look for the Big East to grab Memphis. In short.

If the B10 gets Pitt:
Memphis/maybe Houston to Big East

That would force the Pac 10 to expand:
Possibility A:
BYU and Utah to Pac 10.
Then Boise State and possibly Idaho to Mountain West.

Possibility B:
Colorado and maybe Colorado State to Pac 10
TCU to B12
Boise State to Mountian West

Possibility C:
Gonzaga to Pac-10
I really really really doubt this because
A. No natural partner to bring with(maybe Boise)
B. Ever heard of Gonzaga football or even WCC football in general, ya me niether.

Big 10 adds Iowa State/Mizzou/Nebraska
TCU to B12
Boise to Mountian West

BYU and Utah to Pac-10

 

[howeda7]

Why set the bar at 1 bid? they could legitimately get 0 bids if Cal struggles a bit more and either USC or Arizona wins the conference tourney. Both of those schools are barring themselves from post-season play this year.

That's why they call it an 'automatic' bid. I'm guessing it would go to the runner-up or the regular season champion?

 

[GopherRock]

USC has barred themselves from the conference tournament as well as the NCAAs, so no worries about the Trojans bid-poaching.

Gonzaga (or, for that matter, any of the WCC schools) are far too small to even think about PX admission. The Spokane County Dog Pound is a cool arena, but that's it.