Regional Sites to be Announced @ 2pm

[jennyo70]

So folks do not believe geography will be a factor in regional placement? As a Louisville fan I would rather play anyone other than UCONN in the regionals. I was supposing that should ND get a #1 seed, UCONN would end up in Louisville, per geography. That, as someone mentioned, renders hosting the regionals moot. (I love my team, however, uconn is the far and away favorite IMHO to win it all. I don't want to run in to you all until the end, if we have to meet again.)
I have already been wishing ND ill will this season, to keep them out of a #1 seed. Would be nice to think geography will not factor in, thus keeping you all out of Louisville, and reducing my ill will towards the Irish.

 

[UConnCat]

So folks do not believe geography will be a factor in regional placement? As a Louisville fan I would rather play anyone other than UCONN in the regionals. I was supposing that should ND get a #1 seed, UCONN would end up in Louisville, per geography. That, as someone mentioned, renders hosting the regionals moot. (I love my team, however, uconn is the far and away favorite IMHO to win it all. I don't want to run in to you all until the end, if we have to meet again.)
I have already been wishing ND ill will this season, to keep them out of a #1 seed. Would be nice to think geography will not factor in, thus keeping you all out of Louisville, and reducing my ill will towards the Irish.

It's not clear how much of a role geography will play in assigning top seeds to regions. Geography didn't seem to matter when the committee selected it's 4 sites with Kentucky being the eastern most regional for the first time in 25 years. Selection Monday should be interesting. Until then, let the games begin.

 

[machusky67]

You may or may not remember that Bridgeport was a fortuitous accident. Newark applied for and was awarded the Regional, then New Jersey deiced to allow betting in a way prohibited by the NCAA, so the NCAA pulled the bid. With not much time left, they had to scramble to find a replacement site, and Bridgeport stepped up. It doesn't change the fact that UConn had an attractive path, but had NJ not been complete idiots, it wouldn't have happened.

edit, oops, missed that there was a 3rd page, so didn't see that Icebear beat me to it.

. Think it was Trenton not Newark that lost the games

 

[Phil]

The Guru weighs in:



It is only the second time in the 33-year history of the tournament -- the other being in 1989 -- that the state of Kentucky becomes the Eastern most locale. In the other instance Western Kentucky was a host in Bowling Green when the Hilltoppers were a national power.

Actually Auburn is slightly further east, but it doesn't negate the point.

 

[Fightin Choke]

Mechelle Voepel's column:

http://espn.go.com/womens-college-b...asketball-ncaa-regionals-remain-neutral-sites

My view on the NCAA women's tournament: Having the top 16 seeds host the early rounds -- which previously was the format for several years -- makes sense. But the regionals should be on neutral sites. Close to a school is OK. But on a school's home court? I'd like to think we should be past that, although I know attendance at regionals can be disappointing at times.

"I think hosting a regional is in complete opposition to preserving the integrity of the game," McGraw said that day. "I think you can buy your way into the Final Four."

LOL. ND rises above principle once again.

Mechelle also talks about UConn hosting first 4 rounds at Gampel back in 1995 and the close win over Virginia in the E8 game. Does UConn win that game on a neutral court?

What exactly is the bolded quote supposed to mean? Why didn't you include the paragraph that followed where she said she understood Muffet's decision to bid even though she voted against the change in the first place. It's like voting against using guns to settle arguments, but losing the vote, so guns are allowed. Why would you then show up to the gunfight with a knife? Principle? Seems foolish. Muffet doesn't have the juggernaught that Geno has this year. She voted against teams hosting regionals, but then since she lost the vote, why shouldn't ND bid? If ND didn't bid, they would have no one but themselves to blame if they were then assigned to the regional in Springfield (47 miles from Storrs), Durham, Louisville, Lincoln, or Knoxville.

 

[UConnCat]

What exactly is the bolded quote supposed to mean? Why didn't you include the paragraph that followed where she said she understood Muffet's decision to bid even though she voted against the change in the first place. It's like voting against using guns to settle arguments, but losing the vote, so guns are allowed. Why would you then show up to the gunfight with a knife? Principle? Seems foolish. Muffet doesn't have the juggernaught that Geno has this year. She voted against teams hosting regionals, but then since she lost the vote, why shouldn't ND bid? If ND didn't bid, they would have no one but themselves to blame if they were then assigned to the regional in Springfield (47 miles from Storrs), Durham, Louisville, Lincoln, or Knoxville.

It didn't exactly play out as you've stated. The deadline for submitting bids to host was Sept 18, a week before the NCAA Summitt where Muffet stated her very strong objection to the plan. So rather than playing by the rules as they are, ND pretty much hedged its bets as there was little chance the Selection Committee was going to change the plan for 2014.

I thought the words Muffet's used in stating her opposition to regional hosts were the strongest I've read to date and sounded very principled. I just thought it was more than a little ironic that she objected to teams being able to buy their way in to the Final Four knowing her university was in the process of doing just that.

BTW, the poor us "we're not a juggernaut this year" sounds pretty lame coming from a team that has made 3 consecutive and defeated UConn 6 of the last 7 (or whatever it is) and returns 3 elite players. Seriously?

 

[Phil]

. Think it was Trenton not Newark that lost the games

Yes, of course, my bad.

 

[pap49cba]

I have to chuckle a bit at all of the people saying neutral sites don't work. Bridgeport and Spokane put on great shows last year and enjoyed very good attendance.

 

[KnightBridgeAZ]

I have to chuckle a bit at all of the people saying neutral sites don't work. Bridgeport and Spokane put on great shows last year and enjoyed very good attendance.

I'm not sure that anywhere but Bridgewater was really what the NCAA wanted. 5 of the 8 sessions were around 6000 folks. The first session in Oklahoma had the highest attendance (just over 9000) and the 2 Bridgeport games were sellouts (8500).

Bridgeport was convenient to UConn folks, which drove that attendance. Similarly, the proximity of Oklahoma drove that regional's first game. The games with no nearby home team, if they indeed did a "great job", could have done so much better if a local team was there. Or so the theory goes.

 

[UcMiami]

I really like the idea of the NCAA choosing 5 'neutral' locations and giving them a five year contract to host regionals and FF on a rotating basis and see if they can actually build an audience. Springfield or Bridgeport would be great in the NE but I think if you chose those sort of mid-sized cities without a lot of entertainment competition and really tried to build local business and community support and gave them the time to do it you might create a seriously good result.

 

[bruinbball]

Indy would be a good one.

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[Icebear]

Indy would be a good one.

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How many Boneyarders can you house?

 

[ochoopsfan]

Anyplace I can get to on Southwest Airlines is ok with me.

 

[bruinbball]

How many Boneyarders can you house?

Southwest is good to Indy. I'll host anyone that wants to host me for a AAC tourney sometime

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[Icebear]

Southwest is good to Indy. I'll host anyone that wants to host me for a AAC tourney sometime

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Remember bears don't mind denning up under beds or in closets.

 

[diggerfoot]

Mechelle also talks about UConn hosting first 4 rounds at Gampel back in 1995 and the close win over Virginia in the E8 game. Does UConn win that game on a neutral court?

The UConn men always played well in the west. The 1995 women played better in the Final Four than at the regionals. This is not to invalidate the hosting argument. I think there IS an advantage for experienced hosts to have tournament games at home. However, it could be just as likely that a less tight UConn team wins the Virginia game more handily on a neutral court. Undeniably UConn was a better team over the course of the year.

 

[reno tony]

When it is all said and done the important location is that of the N.C. Trophy. My money is on Storrs!!