Re: The definitive tournament speculation thread
Same questions arise should Adrian win, do they continue on to Minn? or go back to Michigan and fly to Min?
Neumann had this question last year when they traveled to Elmira, then back to southern PA, then up to Plattsburgh in the span of a couple of days. They did just that thing, and as somebody who has spent some time traveling with a hockey team, allow me to dispel the notion they would ever fly or drive straight from a current destination.
The bus company is almost assuredly booked round trip and has to get their bus back to a station near the originating campus. Likewise, paying a driver for additional time (which would be required just getting the team to meals/the airport) isn't cheap.
Likewise, staying in place would require roughly 40 hotel rooms booked total of the span of two days, at the university's expense. Since the NCAA likely has some regulation about the flight being at an airport near the host institution, I would be amazed if Adrian didn't return home after a win.
I must agree with Josh, I don't see any example of a conspiracy, as in a secret, or surreptitious plan, rather I see a blatant example of the NCAA, as I've said previously, putting bias and a relatively insignificant amount of money above sportsmanship.
Easy to say when it's not your money.
The NCAA identifies sufficient "Primary and Secondary Criteria" which provide enough objective measures to solidly justify a selection bracket, resorting to unsportsmanlike activity (introduction of secretive, biased/unidentified additional input) in the spirit of being penny wise and dollar foolish, is wrong.
I'm willing to hear explanations on how Matt Rennell and I, who, as much of a joke about my lack of life it may be, have been the two people most engaged in looking at how this thing might shake out, essentially agreed on this bracket before it was announced. I quoted Matt's bracket with the correct structure and noted Elmira might be in and in the same post disagreed (without pointing to it) that OSU would jump NU as the east #1 seed. I understand the process blows, but your post suggests "secretive, biased/unidentified additional input" plays a significant role. If it's so secretive or unidentified, then how could two different knowledgeable people agree on this outcome beforehand?
People choosing to not understand the process and then getting outraged when the results are finalized is just silly.
Now, anyone wanting to say the process sucks after understanding the process (not just because their team got screwed) has a more valid complaint. But my question to them would be: have you identified the number you're calling at the NCAA tomorrow to lodge a complaint?
