NCAA Tourney Format Changing?

[kingdobbs]

Re: NCAA Tourney Format Changing?

I would gather that hockey, if they went this route, would probably use soccer as a model (2009 handbook, go to appendix H). They are played on campus sites for all but the final four.

Well, the format as presented in the article way back so many pages ago is identical to the lacrosse format, with the exception of a best-of-three first round (and also no mega-championship where all of the men's divisions play on the same weekend at the same site), so that will no doubt be a cromulent model to follow.

[mmb5]

Re: NCAA Tourney Format Changing?

Well, the format as presented in the article way back so many pages ago is identical to the lacrosse format, with the exception of a best-of-three first round (and also no mega-championship where all of the men's divisions play on the same weekend at the same site), so that will no doubt be a cromulent model to follow.

Yes, the lacrosse model is quite embiggening.

[RedFreak]

Re: NCAA Tourney Format Changing?

Well, the format as presented in the article way back so many pages ago is identical to the lacrosse format, with the exception of a best-of-three first round (and also no mega-championship where all of the men's divisions play on the same weekend at the same site), so that will no doubt be a cromulent model to follow.

Maybe we'll get more respect from ESPN.

[TigerFan86-87]

Re: NCAA Tourney Format Changing?

Maybe we'll get more respect from ESPN.

Maybe only if we keep using "words" like cromulent and embiggening

I detect that I am probably missing out on an inside joke here, but I just couldn't help myself

[RedFreak]

Re: NCAA Tourney Format Changing?

Maybe only if we keep using "words" like cromulent and embiggening

I detect that I am probably missing out on an inside joke here, but I just couldn't help myself

I figured I knew what embiggen meant, but I had to look up cromulent. Lo and behold, I hit the jackpot .

[MikeAnderson]

Re: NCAA Tourney Format Changing?

If I'm OSU, there's no way I give up the home ice, but playing in the back-up barn isn't exactly what the NCAA is looking for.

Then if you're OSU, you block off the time early if you have even a sneaking suspicion that you'll host. If the OSU administration doesn't have enough faith in its program to prepare an appropriate hosting bid well in advance, then why should the NCAA grant exceptions for the sake of home ice?

[blockski]

Re: NCAA Tourney Format Changing?

Then if you're OSU, you block off the time early if you have even a sneaking suspicion that you'll host. If the OSU administration doesn't have enough faith in its program to prepare an appropriate hosting bid well in advance, then why should the NCAA grant exceptions for the sake of home ice?

It's not that simple, though. Wisconsin had the same problem with the Kohl Center before they worked out the contractual details. Basically, the state high school association wanted their tournament held that one weekend that just so happened to be the first weekend of the WCHA playoffs. Their contract gave them priority over hockey - the reason being that everything got all political, as the high schools were threatening to take the entire tournament away from Madison and move it to Milwaukee, thus they were exerting pressure on the public university to give them the premier dates.

As a result, UW had to play a couple of first round series at the Dane County Coliseum instead of their usual home rink.

It's not about faith, it's about business and the terms laid out in the contracts. These things are also signed years in advance - the High School Tournament was something like a 5 or a 10 year contract. Wisconsin finally worked out a deal with the state high school folks about tournament timing and venues, and it's all straightened out now. However, adding potential NCAA hosting into the mix might be more complicated.

I think UNO's run into this issue with the Qwest Center, too.

So, if you're a team playing in a multi-purpose venue, you're asking your landlord (whether that's the school or someone else) to hold 2 prime weekends open and free of events (for league playoffs and for the NCAAs) and forgo earning any revenue - just on the chance that the hockey team might advance. Venues like that can't survive on hockey alone.

Not saying it can't be done, as I think it certainly can - and on the whole, it would result in more money for the NCAA and a much better atmosphere. I do think there will be some conflicts, however.

[bronconick]

Re: NCAA Tourney Format Changing?

Anyone else feeling the irony of arguing about upsets in a year where the worst two teams in the NHL playoffs regular season wise are playing each other starting tomorrow for a trip to the Finals?

[Patman]

Re: NCAA Tourney Format Changing?

Anyone else feeling the irony of arguing about upsets in a year where the worst two teams in the NHL playoffs regular season wise are playing each other starting tomorrow for a trip to the Finals?

if you want to know why, besides time, that baseball will never add another round, look at just that issue. If a team wins 60% of its game against an opponent then in a seven game set the that team will only win the series roughly (IIRC... done this in class several times... not pulling out the calculator) 71% of the time. Most of the time in hockey and baseball 60% is generous... in basketball 60% or better you can see in the opening round but after that not so much.

[TigerFan86-87]

Re: NCAA Tourney Format Changing?

I figured I knew what embiggen meant, but I had to look up cromulent. Lo and behold, I hit the jackpot .

I should be ashamed of myself. I knew I recognized embiggen. I actually didn't remember cromulent. I should have figured that was a Groening special.
Nice work

[TigerFan86-87]

Re: NCAA Tourney Format Changing?

Anyone else feeling the irony of arguing about upsets in a year where the worst two teams in the NHL playoffs regular season wise are playing each other starting tomorrow for a trip to the Finals?

That did occur to me as I was listening to the end of the Montreal-Pittsburgh game the other night. But then I thought that there is a difference between those upsets and a RIT-Denver, Niagara-UNH, Air Force-Michigan, or Holy Cross-Minnesota type upset. Montreal and Philly are the last playoff seeds, but are still in the same "league" as Washington, Pittsburgh, and New Jersey and can play with them rather competitively on any night. That is more like a middle of the pack WCHA, CCHA, or HEA team beating Wisconsin, Michigan or BC than an AHA team doing the same thing. Yes, they are all D-I, but there is clearly a difference in the talent pools in the AHA and the Big-3.