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The 2014 Pairwise, Bracketology and History Thread`

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  • #91
    Originally posted by joecct View Post
    Can it be concluded that the NCHC, while a good (great) idea on paper has been a disaster in terms of NCAA selection?
    Absolutely, if you only focus on the PWR at the halfway point and also ignore the fact that UND and Denver lost a huge amount of talent in the offseason. Miami is the only surprise in the NCHC this season
    Originally posted by SJHovey
    Pretty sure this post, made on January 3, 2016, when UNO was 14-3-1 and #2 in the pairwise, will go down in USCHO lore as The Curse of Tipsy McStagger.
    Originally posted by Brenthoven
    We mourn for days after a loss, puff out our chests for a week or more after we win. We brave the cold for tailgates, our friends know not to ask about the game after a tough loss, we laugh, we cry, we BLEED hockey, specifically the maroon'n'gold. Many of us have a tattoo waiting in the wings, WHEN (not IF) the Gophers are champions again.

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    • #92
      Re: The 2014 Pairwise, Bracketology and History Thread`

      Originally posted by TonyTheTiger20 View Post
      So the eastern conference teams will fall, because they all have to play each other. And the western conference teams will rise up, because they all have to play each other.

      Got it.
      Yes, Tony. Because in the case of the Eastern Teams, if you assume that everyone stays where they are, then 5 teams have to win the majority of their games. It seems likely to me that this will not happen, and that it is far more likely that some team which so far has been playing well, will end up losing, because they have to play all the "highly ranked already" teams ahead of them.

      On the other hand, in the West, if you assume that everyone stays where they are, then 8 or 9 teams have to lose half of their games. It seems likely to me that this will also not happen, and that it is more likely that NoDak, or Denver, or Mankato, or some UP school, goes on a run, because after all, they are going to play most of their games against teams that are not so "highly ranked" right now.

      In short, it's an odds prediction. Out of 3 schools in the Eastern Conferences, it's likely that someone has a mediocre 2nd half, especially playing what looks like good competition.

      Out of 4 schools in the Western Conferences, it's likely that someone will have a 'Good' 2nd half, especially taking advantage of what right now looks like "mediocre" competition.

      In past years, when the PWR had a TUC component, this would have been even more true considering the conference tournaments. Someone out of those 5 teams in the HE and ECAC would lose a quarterfinal series, and have their RPI drop with 2 losses, plus their TUC record drop with 2 losses, and find themselves out of the tourney. With no TUC Cliff this year, teams with good RPIs will be more insulated in the conference tournament play. That's because a team like UND right now could go on a run and sweep their way to the NCHC final, only to lsoe to SCSU, and they might not get any QWB pts for their RPI because of who they would face in the NCHC tourney.

      And, to guess the NCAA tourney, even leaving that prediction (of UND or someone getting hot in 2nd half, and Yale and NotreDame going cold 2nd half) out, consider the conference tourneys and the auto-bids.

      Odds that there is an upset out-lier winner from HE or ECAC (when it would have to be 5th or lower in the regular conference play) are not so high.
      Odds that an out-lier upsets in NCHC or WCHA: Very high when only the regular season champ is currently among the top 15 in the PWR.
      Last edited by Numbers; 01-20-2014, 12:11 AM.

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      • #93
        Re: The 2014 Pairwise, Bracketology and History Thread`

        Originally posted by TonyTheTiger20 View Post
        So the eastern conference teams will fall, because they all have to play each other. And the western conference teams will rise up, because they all have to play each other.

        Got it.
        Originally posted by Numbers View Post
        Yes, Tony. Because in the case of the Eastern Teams, if you assume that everyone stays where they are, then 5 teams have to win the majority of their games. It seems likely to me that this will not happen, and that it is far more likely that some team which so far has been playing well, will end up losing, because they have to play all the "highly ranked already" teams ahead of them.

        On the other hand, in the West, if you assume that everyone stays where they are, then 8 or 9 teams have to lose half of their games. It seems likely to me that this will also not happen, and that it is more likely that NoDak, or Denver, or Mankato, or some UP school, goes on a run, because after all, they are going to play most of their games against teams that are not so "highly ranked" right now.

        In short, it's an odds prediction. Out of 3 schools in the Eastern Conferences, it's likely that someone has a mediocre 2nd half, especially playing what looks like good competition.

        Out of 4 schools in the Western Conferences, it's likely that someone will have a 'Good' 2nd half, especially taking advantage of what right now looks like "mediocre" competition.

        In past years, when the PWR had a TUC component, this would have been even more true considering the conference tournaments. Someone out of those 5 teams in the HE and ECAC would lose a quarterfinal series, and have their RPI drop with 2 losses, plus their TUC record drop with 2 losses, and find themselves out of the tourney. With no TUC Cliff this year, teams with good RPIs will be more insulated in the conference tournament play. That's because a team like UND right now could go on a run and sweep their way to the NCHC final, only to lsoe to SCSU, and they might not get any QWB pts for their RPI because of who they would face in the NCHC tourney.

        And, to guess the NCAA tourney, even leaving that prediction (of UND or someone getting hot in 2nd half, and Yale and NotreDame going cold 2nd half) out, consider the conference tourneys and the auto-bids.

        Odds that there is an upset out-lier winner from HE or ECAC (when it would have to be 5th or lower in the regular conference play) are not so high.
        Odds that an out-lier upsets in NCHC or WCHA: Very high when only the regular season champ is currently among the top 15 in the PWR.
        I was going to give a less detailed response, but essentially the same sentiment.

        Numbers has gone out on a bit of a limb with some fairly specific predictions, but statistically speaking we can expect things to normalize somewhat between the conferences. It is true that just as it is possible that 1 or 2 ECAC teams may drop out of the tournament it is possible that the ECAC (or Hockey East) may add a team to their roster of tournament teams. However, the most likely scenario is for the discrepancy between conferences to even out to some degree.

        To go out a bit on my own limb (although I don't think all that much), I will be quite surprised if we see a #3 or #4 seed win it all this year. There are so many solid teams in the top 6-8 right now; a 3rd or 4th seed will have a very daunting gauntlet in front of them.

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        • #94
          Re: The 2014 Pairwise, Bracketology and History Thread`

          I agree with the above sentiment, and if North Dakota is playing so well, how did they struggle so mightily with Bemidji.?
          If I was an ECAC team barely in, aka yale or clarkson, I'd be real worried about Colgate. In fact maybe Bucigross ought to have picked Colgate to be number 9.
          MTU: Three time NCAA champions.

          It never get's easier, you just go faster. -Greg Lemond

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          • #95
            Re: The 2014 Pairwise, Bracketology and History Thread`

            Originally posted by manurespreader View Post
            I agree with the above sentiment, and if North Dakota is playing so well, how did they struggle so mightily with Bemidji.?
            I don't think you saw those games if you thought UND "struggled mightily" with BSU. Granted, they tied the first night, in Bemidji, but pretty much dominated the game. Sometimes you just have to tip your hat to the other team. BSU has played about 8-10 overtime games this year, so they can play you pretty tight. Candidly, UND hasn't got the skill up front to routinely blow teams out, even the poorer teams. They need to win a lot of 3-2 games.

            I don't know how well UND is playing. The current nine game unbeaten streak was against some pretty weak competition, although the sweep at WMU is looking better all the time. They are certainly playing a lot better than they did before Thanksgiving. Probably a lot to do with improving health to their forwards, and the newcomers learning the system.

            We'll find out how well they're playing these next 10 games. I'd take a 6-3-1 record and then take our chances in the playoffs. UND is in the middle of a pretty tight RPI grouping, so some wins will bump them up, but I suspect it's probably going to take a pretty deep NCHC playoff run, if not a tournament victory to get this team in.
            That community is already in the process of dissolution where each man begins to eye his neighbor as a possible enemy, where non-conformity with the accepted creed, political as well as religious, is a mark of disaffection; where denunciation, without specification or backing, takes the place of evidence; where orthodoxy chokes freedom of dissent; where faith in the eventual supremacy of reason has become so timid that we dare not enter our convictions in the open lists, to win or lose.

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            • #96
              Re: The 2014 Pairwise, Bracketology and History Thread`

              Originally posted by Stauber1 View Post
              I was going to give a less detailed response, but essentially the same sentiment.

              Numbers has gone out on a bit of a limb with some fairly specific predictions, but statistically speaking we can expect things to normalize somewhat between the conferences. It is true that just as it is possible that 1 or 2 ECAC teams may drop out of the tournament it is possible that the ECAC (or Hockey East) may add a team to their roster of tournament teams. However, the most likely scenario is for the discrepancy between conferences to even out to some degree.

              To go out a bit on my own limb (although I don't think all that much), I will be quite surprised if we see a #3 or #4 seed win it all this year. There are so many solid teams in the top 6-8 right now; a 3rd or 4th seed will have a very daunting gauntlet in front of them.

              Thank you Stauber. Also, I want to emphasize that my examples of who might rise or fall have are not intended to say "I think this team is better than it has been playing so far....." My examples are really not team-specific. My only point is that statistically, the ECAC and HEA have done well so far this year, and, given the OOC records, likely have a collection of 'better' teams than the west. However, in conference play, the net result is .500 for the whole conference, so the HEA and ECAC as a whole league are going to have a 'worse' 2nd half than 1st half. And, NCHC and WCHA will have a 'better' 2nd half than 1st half.

              So, please don't anyone take my comments as a "West is better than East". I don't mean them that way at all.

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              • #97
                Re: The 2014 Pairwise, Bracketology and History Thread`

                I know you weren't haha I was just picking on you.
                Grant Salzano, Boston College '10
                Writer Emeritus, BC Interruption
                Twitter: @Salzano14


                Click here for the BC Interruption Pairwise, KRACH, and GRaNT Calculators

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                • #98
                  Re: The 2014 Pairwise, Bracketology and History Thread`

                  Originally posted by joecct View Post
                  Can it be concluded that the NCHC, while a good (great) idea on paper has been a disaster in terms of NCAA selection?
                  The non-conference record of the conference is really what is bringing it down.
                  tUMD Hockey

                  "And there is a banana running around the DECC." "Well you don't see that every day..."

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                  • #99
                    Re: The 2014 Pairwise, Bracketology and History Thread`

                    Originally posted by Numbers View Post
                    Thank you Stauber. Also, I want to emphasize that my examples of who might rise or fall have are not intended to say "I think this team is better than it has been playing so far....." My examples are really not team-specific. My only point is that statistically, the ECAC and HEA have done well so far this year, and, given the OOC records, likely have a collection of 'better' teams than the west. However, in conference play, the net result is .500 for the whole conference, so the HEA and ECAC as a whole league are going to have a 'worse' 2nd half than 1st half. And, NCHC and WCHA will have a 'better' 2nd half than 1st half.

                    So, please don't anyone take my comments as a "West is better than East". I don't mean them that way at all.
                    If two eastern teams who are just on the inside of the bubble play, someone has to lose and runs the risk of falling to the outside of the bubble. When two western teams who are on the outside of the bubble play, someone has to win, and if they win enough games they my be able to displace the eastern team who has to lose.

                    Because of the someone has to win AND lose, conference games tend to reduce the dominance of a single conference, athough given the current RPI weightings, the western teams have quite a uphill struggle.

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                    • Re: The 2014 Pairwise, Bracketology and History Thread`

                      Originally posted by Biddco View Post
                      The non-conference record of the conference is really what is bringing it down.
                      Simple solution, kick UNO and CC out of the league.
                      Hollywood Hair Care Tip for Infinity (Directly from Hollywood himself)
                      when its minus 20 and u have to go outside.. make sure u wear a winter hat as the mohawk does not enjoy the winter weathe(r)
                      Hollywood Amazingness

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                      • Re: The 2014 Pairwise, Bracketology and History Thread`

                        Originally posted by Dirty View Post
                        Simple solution, kick UNO and CC out of the league.
                        Let's replace them with Michigan Tech and Northern. I believe that many of their fans have wished they could have left the WCHA and joined NCHC.
                        tUMD Hockey

                        "And there is a banana running around the DECC." "Well you don't see that every day..."

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                        • Re: The 2014 Pairwise, Bracketology and History Thread`

                          Here is the thing. To try to judge the creation of the NCHC halfway into it's first season is silly. To suggest it's been a "disaster" in terms of "NCAA selection", before any teams have even been selected in the NCHC's first season also seems a little silly.

                          Here are my observations.

                          First, in college hockey on an overall basis I think the balance of power has shifted east. From time to time this occurs. The balance of the stronger teams is currently in the east. My opinion is this has primarily to do with some early departures we've seen out west, but there certainly has been a general strengthening of the eastern programs.

                          I also think there is a lot of parity in college hockey. This is another year where you could easily see another team like Yale come out of nowhere to win it.

                          As for the NCHC, in general it's played out about how I expected it, with the exception being Miami. I think the league has a shot to get 3 teams in, and I think we've seen a lot of good young players come into the league. It was billed as a very competitive league, top to bottom, and I think we'll see that.
                          That community is already in the process of dissolution where each man begins to eye his neighbor as a possible enemy, where non-conformity with the accepted creed, political as well as religious, is a mark of disaffection; where denunciation, without specification or backing, takes the place of evidence; where orthodoxy chokes freedom of dissent; where faith in the eventual supremacy of reason has become so timid that we dare not enter our convictions in the open lists, to win or lose.

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                          • Re: The 2014 Pairwise, Bracketology and History Thread`

                            Originally posted by SJHovey View Post
                            As for the NCHC, in general it's played out about how I expected it, with the exception being Miami. I think the league has a shot to get 3 teams in, and I think we've seen a lot of good young players come into the league. It was billed as a very competitive league, top to bottom, and I think we'll see that.
                            I wouldn't be shocked if they get 3 in - one more plays their way in via conference games, and a 3rd team wins the tournament. In a one-and-done tournament among competitive teams, funny things can happen...
                            If you don't change the world today, how can it be any better tomorrow?

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                            • Re: The 2014 Pairwise, Bracketology and History Thread`

                              I came up with a slightly different bracket than Priceless, but there's surely a tough decision for the committee this week. Punishing Minnesota by playing the #13 seed is a tough call. Beyond that, moving QU out of Bridgeport and BC out of Worcester really hurts attendance.

                              East - Bridgeport (Yale)
                              2. Boston College
                              6. Providence
                              12. Clarkson
                              14. Yale

                              Northeast - Worcester
                              3. Quinnipiac
                              7. Northeastern
                              10. Wisconsin
                              16. Mercyhurst

                              Midwest - Cincinnati (Miami)
                              4. Union
                              5. Ferris State
                              11. Notre Dame
                              15. Michigan

                              West - St. Paul (Minnesota)
                              1. Minnesota
                              8. St. Cloud State
                              9. UMass-Lowell
                              13. Cornell
                              Clarkson Golden Knights Men
                              10 Time ECAC Regular Season Champs
                              5 Time ECAC Tournament Champs
                              21 NCAA Tournament Appearances

                              Undefeated - 1956

                              Clarkson Golden Knights Women
                              ECAC Regular Season Champs - 2014, 2015, 2017, 2018
                              ECAC Tournament Champs - 2017, 2018
                              7 NCAA Tournament Appearances

                              Frozen Four - 2014, 2016, 2017, 2018
                              National Champions - 2014, 2017, 2018

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                              • Re: The 2014 Pairwise, Bracketology and History Thread`

                                And #13 is not terribly excited to play the overall #1 effectively at home rather than #4 overall in a more neutral location....
                                If you don't change the world today, how can it be any better tomorrow?

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