Power Conferences 16/16

[Inyatkin]

Folks complain about Depaul and others being worse than dead weight, but then try to argue that the ACC should merge.
You get stronger by cherry picking, not by taking everyone.

We can rekindle the dormant rivalry with SMU. What's better than that?

 

[FfldCntyFan]

Emmert’s legacy of destruction is almost complete. His use of athletes in video games gave us NIL. But he had the foresight to remove the sit if you transfer rule to turbocharge the collapse of college sports as we knew it.

The most damning thing he did was throw his hands up when it became apparant that NIL was going to be a major part of intercollegiate sports. He could have gotten out in front of it and had a committee (of people smarrter than him) put together a framework that would comply with the spirit of the ruling yet also allow some enforcement over cheating. By doing nothing we ended up in Deadwood during the Black Hills gold rush.

 

[NJHusky]

committee (of people smarrter than him) put together a framework that would comply with the spirit of the ruling yet also allow some enforcement over cheating. By doing nothing we ended up in Deadwood during the Black Hills gold rush.

Any random 10 people on X would have been a committee of people smarter than him.

 

[bendm]

I’ve got no issue going to 72 teams by making the 15 and 16 seeds all play ins instead of two 16 seeds and two 11 seeds. Play in teams from the power conferences have more talent than most mid majors, certainly more than any 15 or 16 seed and they have proven it by going on final four runs.

 

[UConnJim]

In 2016, after the SEC only landed 3 teams in the NCAAT, Greg Sankey, the SEC commissioner, hired Mike Tranghese, former Big East commissioner as an advisor to help the SEC improve in basketball. The SEC made changes including better scheduling and the schools hired better head coaches. What we are seeing right now is the result of what they did. ACC basketball has declined as they didn't effectively replace their head coaches and they still haven't. The Big East has made some progress with the addition of UConn and the turnaround at St. John's, but Villanova stumbled with their head coaching hire as has Providence, the jury is still out on Cooley at Georgetown, and Seton Hall has to decide if they want to compete. DePaul and Butler seem to be improving. Although Miller left Xavier, I think they will be OK.

 

[aceboon]

this is next level water carrying for the power conferences, how in the world can you argue mid-major players transferring up isn't NIL driven? UC San Diego lost an 18ppg scorer to USC, imagine if you added him to this year's team that was so good that they had an at-large argument if they didn't win their conf tourney.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

Folks complain about Depaul and others being worse than dead weight, but then try to argue that the ACC should merge.
You get stronger by cherry picking, not by taking everyone.

The ACC is 10000% never adding UConn as a one off addition unless UConn takes a deal worse than the one SMU got. So if the ACC does not merge, then you are saying UConn is never getting added to any league.

 

[UConnJim]

In my opinion, one of the biggest factors that prevented the Big East and other conferences from advancing to the Sweet 16, seeding.

UConn, Creighton, and Gonzaga were 8 and 9 seeds and had to beat a 1 seed to advance. New Mexico and St. Mary's had to beat a 2 seed to advance. St. John's, as a 2 seed, played a poor game and lost to a very talented 10 seed in Arkansas.

 

[How Sway?!]

A BE-ACC merger is likely a non starter but a scheduling alliance between the two seems possible. Something like a week in February where 1st, 2nd, 3rd, etc placed team in both leagues play each other would help with both leagues metrics and provide more compelling TV inventory to potentially sell.

 

[bendm]

this is next level water carrying for the power conferences, how in the world can you argue mid-major players transferring up isn't NIL driven? UC San Diego lost an 18ppg scorer to USC, imagine if you added him to this year's team that was so good that they had an at-large argument if they didn't win their conf tourney.

And Houston and BYU would never be considered a Cinderella either lol

 

[Vowelguy]

The ACC is 10000% never adding UConn as a one off addition unless UConn takes a deal worse than the one SMU got. So if the ACC does not merge, then you are saying UConn is never getting added to any league.

Why does the ACC take DePaul/Butler/Seton Hall/Providence/et al?

 

[bendm]

The ACC is 10000% never adding UConn as a one off addition unless UConn takes a deal worse than the one SMU got. So if the ACC does not merge, then you are saying UConn is never getting added to any league.

The fractional payouts certainly set a bad precedent for us. But I don't think the big12 has forced such deals upon expansion teams has it?

 

[nelsonmuntz]

The fractional payouts certainly set a bad precedent for us. But I don't think the big12 has forced such deals upon expansion teams has it?

The Big 12 deal that was discussed with UConn last year was for UConn to join as basketball only but football would remain independent for 7 years, and then the Big 12 would decide if they wanted us or not, after UConn had run a massive deficit for years.

There is no pot of gold at the end of any rainbow because both the Big 12 and ACC are scared that they are no better off than we are so they are trying to grab every last nickel they can before there is just a P2 or college sports implodes, which may happen at the same time.

UConn's only remaining hope is something completely unexpected like an ACC/Big East merger or football splitting off completely.

 

[bendm]

The Big 12 deal that was discussed with UConn last year was for UConn to join as basketball only but football would remain independent for 7 years, and then the Big 12 would decide if they wanted us or not, after UConn had run a massive deficit for years.

Right i forgot, but that's just business as usual for uconn football. As long as the big12 specifies the benchmarks football has to meet (and they're feasible) we gotta take it. The ultimate approval just cant be subjective.

 

[Zonepress]

The ratings will dictate if Sankey gets to make it a P2 only tournament or not.

You make a great point but it’s will probably happen anyway
Imho the only way ratings drop is if the lack of middle majors beating higher seeds doesn’t happen
Seems like we might be there already

 

[TheShot1990]

Everyone seems to think the P3 big football conferences can simply buy players. And that's because...they can.

 

[NHUConnfan]

Why does the ACC need the Big East? If anything just pluck the top 2 brands and put the Big East out of business.

The ACC needs the Big East because they're 2 teams leaving away from ceasing to exist. At this point, it's a numbers game and the best way to secure it's future is to ensure it will always have numbers. In all sports.

 

[champs99and04]

Historically, the power programs always draw better. So I would assume it will play out like that.

Second weekend ratings are definitely better without Cinderella. It's the the first weekend ratings that will suffer moving forward if she goes extinct. The fun is in knowing you can count on one or two to break through each year without knowing who it will be. That's why I believe any change that makes upsets too common (which is where I'd argue we were headed for much of the one and done era) or too rare (which is where we're headed now) is bad for the sport.

 

[Bongo Fury]

I’m hopeful that UConn can still stay competitive. It is just a much greater challenge with much less revenue given and less media attention. Grateful to those that are generous whether individuals or State to help try to keep up.

 

[Travelman6]

The Big East also had a seeding issue this year. Some of the 5,6,7 seeds were a little suspect. If you think St Mary’s was better than UConn, Marquette, Creighton then you just don’t watch hoops. The powers to be knew what they were doing by slating us in those 8-9 death sentence games.

I kind of agree with you but those losses to Seton Hall and Colorado were absolutely dreadful. Lose one, and I don't think anyone could doubt UConn deserved a 7. But of the 32 top teams (seeds 1-8) I think UConn probably had the worst pair of losses out of anyone. Maybe not THE WORST, but the worst duo. Beating Colorado would have allowed UConn to face Iowa State instead of what happened: Dayton after the Colorado loss. Keep it within 10 vs Iowa State, even if a loss, and its a totally different seed IMO. For sure, in that case, UConn could have swapped with Marquette in that situation for the 7. But those 2 losses. Ouch...

 

[SwingDog]

The Big East also had a seeding issue this year. Some of the 5,6,7 seeds were a little suspect. If you think St Mary’s was better than UConn, Marquette, Creighton then you just don’t watch hoops. The powers to be knew what they were doing by slating us in those 8-9 death sentence games.

I kind of felt Pitino was throwing shade at the conference after the Arkansas loss by saying they hadn't faced that level of length and athleticism all season. So even in their non-conference schedule he hadn't faced it, according to him.

 

[FfldCntyFan]

I kind of felt Pitino was throwing shade at the conference after the Arkansas loss by saying they hadn't faced that level of length and athleticism all season. So even in their non-conference schedule he hadn't faced it, according to him.

Basically he was saying it wasn't his fault they lost. He does that a lot, he's only responsible for the wins.