I hope ESPN is happy with what they did to hoops

[upstater]

I believe he is referring to games like MdEastern Shore, Texas southern, and some of the other creampuff. Games like that count bu tthe teams are really no better than the D-3 teams we play in the pre-season. And that's a big issue. How do you get to 20 plus wins without lots of creampuffs? As an aside it is also why I didn't think Ollie owuld have too much trouble winning more than half his games.

UConn has played 5 or 6 tough OOC games over the years, and in some years more, as opposed to the more normal 3 or 4. So, while watching the 8 creampuff games doesn't please many (I actually do like to watch them), I think UConn can't really afford to go without them for two reasons: revenue and NCAA bids. As it is, UConn has lost bids in years when it had a winning record inside the BE conference BECAUSE it played too many tough games outside.

 

[Husky25]

I believe he is referring to games like MdEastern Shore, Texas southern, and some of the other creampuff. Games like that count bu tthe teams are really no better than the D-3 teams we play in the pre-season. And that's a big issue. How do you get to 20 plus wins without lots of creampuffs? As an aside it is also why I didn't think Ollie owuld have too much trouble winning more than half his games.

At the end of the day, these are Div. I programs and their goal is to do the best they can and ultimately get to the Tournement. A win against them should not be subjectively discounted just because they are inferior. UConn was in that position at one time as well.

As I and other have said, I think you'll find the OOC schedule move more toward the Gonzaga mold, rather than Syracuse. UConn will need to play more power conference opponents to improve their RPI and SOS as a whole.

 

[whaler11]

I'm glad you feel that way because that is exactly what happens. The game vs Umass Lowell, a Div. II program, did not count toward UConn's regular season record. Only games played vs schools in Div. I count. There are over 300 Div. I basketball programs.

UMass Lowell also accepted an invite to America East this year and is upgrading to Division I.

 

[Husky25]

UMass Lowell also accepted an invite to America East this year and is upgrading to Division I.

Price of tea? China?

In November 2012, they were a Div. II school. In November 2012, the were an exhibition game. Exhibition games do not count for/against the record of Div.I basketball team.

 

[whaler11]

Price of tea? China?

In November 2012, they were a Div. II school. In November 2012, the were an exhibition game. Exhibition games do not count for/against the record of Div.I basketball team.

Listen nobody hates exhibition games more than I do. It's disgraceful they play them and more disgraceful they tack them onto season ticket prices.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

I think most of the people posting about how a school earns a tournament bid have no idea what they are talking about.

The RPI rewards good losses and punishes bad wins. There is a huge disincentive to over-schedule cream puffs. In college football, the only incentive to schedule quality competition is if a particular program needs to do so to sell tickets.

 

[whaler11]

I think some people seriously overrate the importance of RPI. Note Middle Tennessee this year for an easy example.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

I think some people seriously overrate the importance of RPI. Note Middle Tennessee this year for an easy example.

1-3 against Top 100. MTSU is learning first hand the consequences of its scheduling.

A counter example is Ole Miss, which is 23-8, better than the last 5 at-large schools going to the Dance, and will not play in the NCAA Tournament if it loses tonight because it scheduled cupcakes non-conference.

Thank you for making my point.

 

[whaler11]

1-3 against Top 100. MTSU is learning first hand the consequences of its scheduling.

A counter example is Ole Miss, which is 23-8, better than the last 5 at-large schools going to the Dance, and will not play in the NCAA Tournament if it loses tonight because it scheduled cupcakes non-conference.

Thank you for making my point.

Yeah I wasn't disagreeing with you.

 

[whaler11]

Exactly. It's really not their fault that they don't matter.

Creighton has been to 9 of the last 15 NCAA tourneys, has a first team All American and now is in the Big East according to reports. You'll have to really pay close attention to dudes wearing tight shorts riding bikes to miss them now.

 

[ZooCougar]

Creighton has been to 9 of the last 15 NCAA tourneys, has a first team All American and now is in the Big East according to reports. You'll have to really pay close attention to dudes wearing tight shorts riding bikes to miss them now.

Nah. I'm too busy these days wearing tight shorts and racing bikes. Two races this weekend in fact, no time to watch.

I guess you get to know Creighton while eating Ice Cream for dinner. Are they in Lincoln or Omaha?

Milan San Remo is this weekend. Peter Sagan is going to crush it.

 

[whaler11]

Nah. I'm too busy these days wearing tight shorts and racing bikes. Two races this weekend in fact, no time to watch.

I guess you get to know Creighton while eating Ice Cream for dinner. Are they in Lincoln or Omaha?

Milan San Remo is this weekend. Peter Sagan is going to crush it.

While I'm not a big fan of ice cream for dinner I am a big fan of having feeling in my testicles so I'll leave the 10-speeds to you.

I hope Peter's blood doping went well, that * is tricky.

 

[ZooCougar]

While I'm not a big fan of ice cream for dinner I am a big fan of having feeling in my testicles so I'll leave the 10-speeds to you.

I hope Peter's blood doping went well, that * is tricky.

That's right because no other athletes in other sports dope. Cycling is probably the cleanest sport on the planet now. The NFL? Hahahhahaha. Doping gets you what!? A six game suspension. What a joke. Soccer hardly even tests because they are afraid of what the might find.

Anyways, they are 11 speeds. And if you aren't 40 lbs overweight you have no issues. Sounds like you should stick with the couch.

 

[whaler11]

That's right because no other athletes in other sports dope. Cycling is probably the cleanest sport on the planet now. The NFL? Hahahhahaha. Doping gets you what!? A six game suspension. What a joke. Soccer hardly even tests because they are afraid of what the might find.

Anyways, they are 11 speeds. And if you aren't 40 lbs overweight you have no issues. Sounds like you should stick with the couch.

Let me get this right: A fan of a fringe sport like cycling mocks a fringe sport like mid-major basketball. Specifically a mid-major school that is in the top 10 nationally in home attendance.

Your response to having that pointed out is to make assumptions about how I exercise. I'm missing the connection between the two but if it makes you feel better don't worry I'll put in 6 miles on the treadmill tomorrow.

I would imagine that someone who has two big days of bike riding would have something better to do than constantly comment about a sport they claim they don't like and a school they claim isn't important enough for them to acknowledge their existence - but clearly that is an incorrect assumption.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

The NCAA Tournament selection process is about as good as it can get, and it creates exactly the right scheduling incentives. It is great for mid-major programs or teams like Memphis (and now UConn) from mediocre conferences because it rewards teams for scheduling against OK competition.

Bobby Knight was the first to figure out that scheduling his non-conference games against the MVC and Horizon (or whatever it used to be called) just about guaranteed him an at-large bid if he won 18 games. The downside was that he got picked off about once a year by a mid-major. The upside was he always had a monster SOS. The mid-major's loved it because they were occasionally getting a legendary coach on their court. So while John Thompson II was playing the dregs of the dregs, and occasionally not getting a bid or at the least getting underseeded, Knight was setting the standard for scheduling that most major conference coaches follow now. Don't play a lot of terrible teams.

I think you will see college football do the same, especially when they finally scrap the stupid bowl system and go to 16 teams. Loading up on Sun Belt teams and home games will get a team punished in December when playoff bids are handed out. There will even be pressure on the weaker big conference schools to upgrade schedules because it will impact the Ohio States and Alabamas.

 

[NoB1GForYou]

All I'm saying that the ACC went multiple years with 3 or 4 or 5 out of 12. The more bids they get now are going to come at the expense of the A12 and Catholics.

In theory though, the ACC will be stronger, but the A-10 and MVC will also be weaker. The A-10 (which in some years you were looking at a 3-5 bid conference) will likely be 1-2. The MVC which wasn't usually as strong, loses a top program and likely falls to a 1 bid per year conference. Those conferences are penciled in for 7 bids this year, and 4 of those are leaving (Temple to A12; Creighton, St. Louis, Butler to BE).

It likely will balance out, or at least be close. The only move that really hurts the college landscape is Memphis going to the A12, because it opens up another bid for CUSA which has basically been a one-bid conference outside of the occasional year they get 2.

 

[ZooCougar]

Go talk to Jim Calhoun about cycling. You don't see cycling fans here shoving cycling down people's throats, because they know most people don't get it. That's fine.

Nobody gives a crap about some stupid Jesuit school in North Dakota. They were even talking about this on the Dan Patrick show the other day. This is the time of the year where everyone hears about a bunch of schools that they have no idea where they are located.

Where is La Salle? No idea. Don't care. Same with Radford. WTF.

Let me get this right: A fan of a fringe sport like cycling mocks a fringe sport like mid-major basketball. Specifically a mid-major school that is in the top 10 nationally in home attendance.

Your response to having that pointed out is to make assumptions about how I exercise. I'm missing the connection between the two but if it makes you feel better don't worry I'll put in 6 miles on the treadmill tomorrow.

I would imagine that someone who has two big days of bike riding would have something better to do than constantly comment about a sport they claim they don't like and a school they claim isn't important enough for them to acknowledge their existence - but clearly that is an incorrect assumption.

 

[upstater]

Go talk to Jim Calhoun about cycling. You don't see cycling fans here shoving cycling down people's throats, because they know most people don't get it. That's fine.

Nobody gives a crap about some stupid Jesuit school in North Dakota. They were even talking about this on the Dan Patrick show the other day. This is the time of the year where everyone hears about a bunch of schools that they have no idea where they are located.

Where is La Salle? No idea. Don't care. Same with Radford. WTF.

I love cycling. The thing that bugs me about it is the cost. I thought I went all out on my bike, but then I went to a local shop with a friend who went through a full fitting. He's a teacher. He's looking at $4k bikes. And I know that's not even near the top of the line. Crazy. I built mine myself (except for bottom bracket and headset) and it still cost an arm and leg. I sometimes wonder if I should just join the men's soccer or rugby leagues around here (lots of 40 somethings in those) but I don't like feeling sore for days on end.

 

[upstater]

In theory though, the ACC will be stronger, but the A-10 and MVC will also be weaker. The A-10 (which in some years you were looking at a 3-5 bid conference) will likely be 1-2. The MVC which wasn't usually as strong, loses a top program and likely falls to a 1 bid per year conference. Those conferences are penciled in for 7 bids this year, and 4 of those are leaving (Temple to A12; Creighton, St. Louis, Butler to BE).

It likely will balance out, or at least be close. The only move that really hurts the college landscape is Memphis going to the A12, because it opens up another bid for CUSA which has basically been a one-bid conference outside of the occasional year they get 2.

Someone just wrote that the CUSA got 5 recently.

 

[ZooCougar]

I love cycling. The thing that bugs me about it is the cost. I thought I went all out on my bike, but then I went to a local shop with a friend who went through a full fitting. He's a teacher. He's looking at $4k bikes. And I know that's not even near the top of the line. Crazy. I built mine myself (except for bottom bracket and headset) and it still cost an arm and leg. I sometimes wonder if I should just join the men's soccer or rugby leagues around here (lots of 40 somethings in those) but I don't like feeling sore for days on end.

If you already built the bike, then what other costs are you worried about? Mine went for about that not including the wheels and I am on it for a fourth season.

The top of the line bikes are useless to most riders in my opinion. For Specialized, that would be the S Works level. If you drop down to the "Pro" level which is in the 4k range you get good value. If you go a level below that, then probably just as good but you will start off with a heavier set wheels.

Also if you buy 1,500 dollar bike, and put a set of better wheels on it, then it will ride as well as anything.

A bike that cost 600 dollars is going to be better than an ill fitting 6000 dollar bike.

 

[upstater]

If you already built the bike, then what other costs are you worried about? Mine went for about that not including the wheels and I am on it for a fourth season.

The top of the line bikes are useless to most riders in my opinion. For Specialized, that would be the S Works level. If you drop down to the "Pro" level which is in the 4k range you get good value. If you go a level below that, then probably just as good but you will start off with a heavier set wheels.

Also if you buy 1,500 dollar bike, and put a set of better wheels on it, then it will ride as well as anything.

A bike that cost 600 dollars is going to be better than an ill fitting 6000 dollar bike.

It was just the costs of building the bike, nothing more.

No other costs.

I bought a Lemond Zurich carbon frame and fork from Trek when they were blowing them out for $400, bought a new component group from a UK wholesaler for $550, ROL wheels for $500, seat, headset, handlebars, pedals, got some work done at the local shop. Total $1950. For me, that was blowing it out. My teaching friend who probably makes $70k a year and has a couple kids was buying a $4k bike.

 

[ZooCougar]

Your bike may very well be better than his. Building a bike like you did is a good way to save money and get something high performance.

When I bought my new bike, all I bought was the frame. I already had a Dura Ace drive train so I just moved it over.


Some people swear by those LeMond frames.

It was just the costs of building the bike, nothing more.

No other costs.

I bought a Lemond Zurich carbon frame and fork from Trek when they were blowing them out for $400, bought a new component group from a UK wholesaler for $550, ROL wheels for $500, seat, headset, handlebars, pedals, got some work done at the local shop. Total $1950. For me, that was blowing it out. My teaching friend who probably makes $70k a year and has a couple kids was buying a $4k bike.

 

[upstater]

Your bike may very well be better than his. Building a bike like you did is a good way to save money and get something high performance.

When I bought my new bike, all I bought was the frame. I already had a Dura Ace drive train so I just moved it over.


Some people swear by those LeMond frames.

Dura-Ace, have never had anything that high-end. That's where the weight is on my bike. Campy Centaurs. Wheels are pretty light. I like the LeMond frames as well--bottom bracket is obviously older since they stopped making LeMonds in 2007. So everyone now swears by the new bbs. It doesn't really matter to me. My friend had a Cervelo fitted for him--and that's what he's buying. Roadbike that he'll use in triathalons.

 

[whaler11]

Go talk to Jim Calhoun about cycling. You don't see cycling fans here shoving cycling down people's throats, because they know most people don't get it. That's fine.

Nobody gives a crap about some stupid Jesuit school in North Dakota. They were even talking about this on the Dan Patrick show the other day. This is the time of the year where everyone hears about a bunch of schools that they have no idea where they are located.

Where is La Salle? No idea. Don't care. Same with Radford. WTF.

Oh so Jim Calhoun likes riding bikes that is wildly important. If you choose to care to be ignorant about college basketball teams in the Big East why are you posting on a college basketball message board in a thread about college basketball realignment? Seems pretty ducking stupid.

 

[ZooCougar]

Dura-Ace, have never had anything that high-end. That's where the weight is on my bike. Campy Centaurs. Wheels are pretty light. I like the LeMond frames as well--bottom bracket is obviously older since they stopped making LeMonds in 2007. So everyone now swears by the new bbs. It doesn't really matter to me. My friend had a Cervelo fitted for him--and that's what he's buying. Roadbike that he'll use in triathalons.

There's no reason you shouldn't be riding it. If you are in better shape than your buddy, you're still going to be quicker.