Grading the Selection Committee

[RegisteredUconn]

Um, toughest for whom?

Obviously, for any team not named UConn, the region with UConn in it will be the toughest
path to the final four.

I was looking at it from the standpoint of the top seeded team in each regional. Forget the
numbers. A simple eye test would suggest that UConn has the easiest path. Georgia?, Nebraska?,
and your choice of A&M or a critically wounded Duke team? Please. They might as well
just skip Lincoln and go straight to Nashville.

Don't you think Tennessee, South Carolina, or Notre Dame would switch places with us
in a heartbeat?

UConn has the easiest path because they are the only team that doesn't have to play UConn (Muffet's knotted panties not withstanding).

 

[DobbsRover2]

Um, toughest for whom?

Obviously, for any team not named UConn, the region with UConn in it will be the toughest
path to the final four.

I was looking at it from the standpoint of the top seeded team in each regional. Forget the
numbers. A simple eye test would suggest that UConn has the easiest path. Georgia?, Nebraska?,
and your choice of A&M or a critically wounded Duke team? Please. They might as well
just skip Lincoln and go straight to Nashville.

Don't you think Tennessee, South Carolina, or Notre Dame would switch places with us
in a heartbeat?

Um, well you can use your own personal judgment to decide what you consider your toughest region. Sure go with that, but I like to at least try to be a little objective and use the ratings and rankings services. Can't help it, I like to have real numbers to work with. And sure, I could bury Duke by calling them "critically wounded," but I prefer to look at their recent record which tells me something quite different and that they have actually done far better than some of the other teams in their tier. I'm glad that Sagarin and Massey agree on that point, but if you can find a service like ....,....,... well I can't think of one that will back you up, but go for it.

As noted, the numbers show that even excluding UConn, the Lincoln is the second rockiest group after Louisville even just focusing on the 2-4 seeds. If you do have any numbers that back up your declarations, please give them. Just don't ask us to accept your own unsupported opinions as being at all sensible. I just like real tests better than your "eye tests," whatever those are.

 

[VAUConnFan]

With 20/20 hindsight, it appears the committee did a decent job. The chalk held in the Stanford region. Oklahoma State as a #5 seed messes up the chalk a bit in the Notre Dame region. LSU at #7 is all that erases chalk in Louisville. The Lincoln Region was poorly constructed from the jump. Coach McCallie will be well advised to refrain from publicly commenting so negatively when the parings do not go your way. regardless of pairings, one has to beat teams to advance. If you are a worthy team, you will do so. her comments had to affect the mindset of her team. As Yogi Berra may or may not have said 90% of the game is half mental. An astute leader would have jumped up in celebration and led a charge. Nebraska might have had a better shot against NC State. If BYU gives UConn a scare on Sunday, then we can have another conversation.

 

[VAUConnFan]

BTW: OP, A+ for your evaluation of the brackets. It took time, effort, and a lot of thought; and a lot of food to go along with that thought.

 

[Icebear]

If McCallie thinks Duke got bad placement this year wait until she sees next years bracket.

 

[pinotbear]

If McCallie thinks Duke got bad placement this year wait until she sees next years bracket.

She probably feels that she and Duke are the "anti-Vol": just as the committee seems determined to avoid a UConn-Tenn match-up, they seem just as determined to create a UConn-Duke contest.