MBB: Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

[Drake Palmer]

Sum – I'm not so sure about the Dawgs beating Carleton on Wednesday night. Of the other 5 teams in the MIAC playoff hunt, Bethel seems like the team playing with the most fire & focus.  At this point I'm not so sure about the other teams.

I was at the Dawgs-Royals game on Saturday & I didn't get a sense of conviction or urgency on the part of Augsburg. But in fairness to Augsburg they only start 2 seniors, Nate Alm & David Olson, & are still a relatively young team.

But it would be a nice poetic twist of fate to have the Johnnies & Gusties battling it out to determine the 5th & 6th playoff spots in the final regular season game of the year.  I'll give my Saturday predictions after the games have played out on Wednesday.

[VOJ]

Sum – I'm not so sure about the Dawgs beating Carleton on Wednesday night. Of the other 5 teams in the MIAC playoff hunt, Bethel seems like the team playing with the most fire & focus.  At this point I'm not so sure about the other teams.

I was at the Dawgs-Royals game on Saturday & I didn't get a sense of conviction or urgency on the part of Augsburg. But in fairness to Augsburg they only start 2 seniors, Nate Alm & David Olson, & are still a relatively young team.

But it would be a nice poetic twist of fate to have the Johnnies & Gusties battling it out to determine the 5th & 6th playoff spots in the final regular season game of the year.  I'll give my Saturday predictions after the games have played out on Wednesday.

Can I  have a further explanation of "nice poetic twist of fate"?  I am not sure how I should feel about it, but it feels like a slam of some sort...

Drake if you are right about the Dogs then it will be a 3 way battle for 4th 5th and 6th and in a tie with the Auggies I believe the Js would have the advantage with a pair of wins vs Carlton but that is just off the top of my head and probably wrong

[sumander]

Summ- May Daughter #1 run up a huge shopping bill on your VISA for this sentiment 

You mean the Tutition bills I'm getting aren't enough

[Drake Palmer]

But it would be a nice poetic twist of fate to have the Johnnies & Gusties battling it out to determine the 5th & 6th playoff spots in the final regular season game of the year.  I'll give my Saturday predictions after the games have played out on Wednesday.

Can I  have a further explanation of "nice poetic twist of fate"?  I am not sure how I should feel about it, but it feels like a slam of some sort...

VOJ – you seem a little testy these days.  No, my post was not intended as a slam.  In re-thinking my post perhaps I should have dropped the word "poetic" because it's not "poetic" & simply said a twist of fate.

Let's try this:

It would be fun if all the teams playing each other on Saturday are competing to not only win the game, but to secure a more advantageous playoff spot.

There is that better?

[AO]

Not sure how many out there track the other boards here, but here's a revealing look at why the MIAC will only have on rep in the postseason, barring an upset.

Basically, the West ain't for the weak.

Through Sunday, 2/8, here is the Massey Index top 60 by region...

http://www.mratings.com/rate.php?lg=cb&yr=2009&sub=III&mid=6


West (19)
1. St. Thomas
2. UW-Platteville
3. UW-Stevens Point
5. Puget Sound
6. UW-Whitewater
10. Buena Vista
12. Lewis & Clark
14. Whitworth
19. Carleton
21. UW-Oshkosh
24. UW-Eau Claire
31. Bethel
35. UW-La Crosse
41. Augsburg
43. Cornell
44. Loras
50. UW-Superior
55. St. John's
58. Chapman

Midwest (13)
4. Wash U
7. Wheaton
8. Elmhurst
11. Augustana
16. Carthage
18. St. Norbert
20. North Central
25. Millikin
27. Carroll
36. Ill. Wesleyan
39. Transylvania
42. Lawrence
60. Grinnell

South (11)
9. Trinity (Tx)
22. Dallas
30. Guilford
34. McMurry
37. Centre
38. DePauw
46. Randolph-Macon
47. Le Tourneau
52. Mary Hardin-Baylor
54. Mississippi College
59. Roanoke

Great Lakes (9)
15. Capital
28. John Carroll
32. Carnegie Mellon
33. Hope
40. Calvin
49. Ohio Northern
50. Ohio Wesleyan
55. St. Vincent
56. Wooster

East (3)
13. Itaca
51. Rochester
57. Rochester Tech

Mid-Atlantic (2)
17. Franklin & Marshall
45. McDaniel

Northeast (2)
26. Middlebury
29. Mass-Dartmouth

Atlantic (1)
23. Richard Stockton

I never really understood why they use the regional rankings rather than a national ranking.  If you've got AQ's for every region and pool B's for those teams not in an AQ conference, access to the tourney seems pretty even.  Why not put the next best 17-20 in the tourney?  95% of the teams outside of the MIAC don't play 20 conference games letting them play a little more national of a schedule.   There will be at least 20 teams in the tourney that Bethel (or the team that could potentially beat them in the conference tourney) could crush. 

On the other hand I don't know if I can really buy into the Massey ratings, they have Macalester as being rated higher than 40 teams!  that includes a couple teams three games above .500   figure that one out.

[Willy Wonka]

VOJ is testy, AO doesn't understand something and Wonka is recovering from surgery?

In other news...the sun rises in the east, Gandhi was good and ARod is a dink.

[carletonsid]

Not sure how many out there track the other boards here, but here's a revealing look at why the MIAC will only have on rep in the postseason, barring an upset.

Basically, the West ain't for the weak.

Through Sunday, 2/8, here is the Massey Index top 60 by region...

http://www.mratings.com/rate.php?lg=cb&yr=2009&sub=III&mid=6

I never really understood why they use the regional rankings rather than a national ranking.  If you've got AQ's for every region and pool B's for those teams not in an AQ conference, access to the tourney seems pretty even.  Why not put the next best 17-20 in the tourney?  95% of the teams outside of the MIAC don't play 20 conference games letting them play a little more national of a schedule.   There will be at least 20 teams in the tourney that Bethel (or the team that could potentially beat them in the conference tourney) could crush. 

On the other hand I don't know if I can really buy into the Massey ratings, they have Macalester as being rated higher than 40 teams!  that includes a couple teams three games above .500   figure that one out.

Umm, perhaps because the Division III philosophy stresses conference and regional play?
http://www.ncaa.org/wps/ncaa?ContentID=1196

[AO]

Not sure how many out there track the other boards here, but here's a revealing look at why the MIAC will only have on rep in the postseason, barring an upset.

Basically, the West ain't for the weak.

Through Sunday, 2/8, here is the Massey Index top 60 by region...

http://www.mratings.com/rate.php?lg=cb&yr=2009&sub=III&mid=6

I never really understood why they use the regional rankings rather than a national ranking.  If you've got AQ's for every region and pool B's for those teams not in an AQ conference, access to the tourney seems pretty even.  Why not put the next best 17-20 in the tourney?  95% of the teams outside of the MIAC don't play 20 conference games letting them play a little more national of a schedule.   There will be at least 20 teams in the tourney that Bethel (or the team that could potentially beat them in the conference tourney) could crush. 

On the other hand I don't know if I can really buy into the Massey ratings, they have Macalester as being rated higher than 40 teams!  that includes a couple teams three games above .500   figure that one out.

Umm, perhaps because the Division III philosophy stresses conference and regional play?
http://www.ncaa.org/wps/ncaa?ContentID=1196

perhaps the D3 philosophy was written by politically correct wackos?  If D1 can choose only the best with their at-large bids, D3 should be able to do likewise.  joes college of the less fortunate plays in a terrible region and should not get into the tournament if they don't get an AQ.

[sumander]

Candy man, Thought you did a nice job with the comparison of the 08-09 UST and your GAC team defensively. Question it raises, who was better offensively?

[larry_u]

Not sure how many out there track the other boards here, but here's a revealing look at why the MIAC will only have on rep in the postseason, barring an upset.

Basically, the West ain't for the weak.

Through Sunday, 2/8, here is the Massey Index top 60 by region...

http://www.mratings.com/rate.php?lg=cb&yr=2009&sub=III&mid=6

I never really understood why they use the regional rankings rather than a national ranking.  If you've got AQ's for every region and pool B's for those teams not in an AQ conference, access to the tourney seems pretty even.  Why not put the next best 17-20 in the tourney?  95% of the teams outside of the MIAC don't play 20 conference games letting them play a little more national of a schedule.   There will be at least 20 teams in the tourney that Bethel (or the team that could potentially beat them in the conference tourney) could crush. 

On the other hand I don't know if I can really buy into the Massey ratings, they have Macalester as being rated higher than 40 teams!  that includes a couple teams three games above .500   figure that one out.

Umm, perhaps because the Division III philosophy stresses conference and regional play?
http://www.ncaa.org/wps/ncaa?ContentID=1196

perhaps the D3 philosophy was written by politically correct wackos?  If D1 can choose only the best with their at-large bids, D3 should be able to do likewise.  joes college of the less fortunate plays in a terrible region and should not get into the tournament if they don't get an AQ.

And you wonder why your karma is below -700.....

[AO]

Candy man, Thought you did a nice job with the comparison of the 08-09 UST and your GAC team defensively. Question it raises, who was better offensively?

having seen both teams, I'd go with the Gusties.

Not sure how many out there track the other boards here, but here's a revealing look at why the MIAC will only have on rep in the postseason, barring an upset.

Basically, the West ain't for the weak.

Through Sunday, 2/8, here is the Massey Index top 60 by region...

http://www.mratings.com/rate.php?lg=cb&yr=2009&sub=III&mid=6

I never really understood why they use the regional rankings rather than a national ranking.  If you've got AQ's for every region and pool B's for those teams not in an AQ conference, access to the tourney seems pretty even.  Why not put the next best 17-20 in the tourney?  95% of the teams outside of the MIAC don't play 20 conference games letting them play a little more national of a schedule.   There will be at least 20 teams in the tourney that Bethel (or the team that could potentially beat them in the conference tourney) could crush. 

On the other hand I don't know if I can really buy into the Massey ratings, they have Macalester as being rated higher than 40 teams!  that includes a couple teams three games above .500   figure that one out.

Umm, perhaps because the Division III philosophy stresses conference and regional play?
http://www.ncaa.org/wps/ncaa?ContentID=1196

perhaps the D3 philosophy was written by politically correct wackos?  If D1 can choose only the best with their at-large bids, D3 should be able to do likewise.  joes college of the less fortunate plays in a terrible region and should not get into the tournament if they don't get an AQ.

And you wonder why your karma is below -700.....

I know Carleton probably fried your brain into politically correct/hopechangeobama/globalwarming/communism,  but there might be a better way to do things.  I asked a pretty honest question.  Is it the money?  we're not going to bus/fly Bethel over to Ohio to play someone when the local college, while not as good, is closer?  I didn't actually read through the d3 philsophy again, but I doubt it admits that it's the money.

[Pat Coleman]

AO, they do put the next best in the tournament, see, that's the deal. They may not publish a national ranking but they do compare them all against each other. There is not a quota of a certain number of at-large bids per region.

They're not going to bus Bethel to Ohio to play but if they think Bethel grades out better than Wooster and both are up for the at-large bid then Bethel will get it.

[VOJ]

But it would be a nice poetic twist of fate to have the Johnnies & Gusties battling it out to determine the 5th & 6th playoff spots in the final regular season game of the year.  I'll give my Saturday predictions after the games have played out on Wednesday.

Can I  have a further explanation of "nice poetic twist of fate"?  I am not sure how I should feel about it, but it feels like a slam of some sort...

VOJ – you seem a little testy these days.  No, my post was not intended as a slam.  In re-thinking my post perhaps I should have dropped the word “poetic” because it’s not “poetic” & simply said a twist of fate.

Let’s try this:

It would be fun if all the teams playing each other on Saturday are competing to not only win the game, but to secure a more advantageous playoff spot.

There is that better?

I get testy when guys who should know better and respect those who have been around the game for four decades plus, randomly post stupid thoughts for everyone weigh in on...like was he really coaching, but lets not repeat that argument...

Not sure how many out there track the other boards here, but here's a revealing look at why the MIAC will only have on rep in the postseason, barring an upset.

Basically, the West ain't for the weak.

Through Sunday, 2/8, here is the Massey Index top 60 by region...

http://www.mratings.com/rate.php?lg=cb&yr=2009&sub=III&mid=6

I never really understood why they use the regional rankings rather than a national ranking.  If you've got AQ's for every region and pool B's for those teams not in an AQ conference, access to the tourney seems pretty even.  Why not put the next best 17-20 in the tourney?  95% of the teams outside of the MIAC don't play 20 conference games letting them play a little more national of a schedule.   There will be at least 20 teams in the tourney that Bethel (or the team that could potentially beat them in the conference tourney) could crush. 

On the other hand I don't know if I can really buy into the Massey ratings, they have Macalester as being rated higher than 40 teams!  that includes a couple teams three games above .500   figure that one out.

Umm, perhaps because the Division III philosophy stresses conference and regional play?
http://www.ncaa.org/wps/ncaa?ContentID=1196

perhaps the D3 philosophy was written by politically correct wackos?  If D1 can choose only the best with their at-large bids, D3 should be able to do likewise.  joes college of the less fortunate plays in a terrible region and should not get into the tournament if they don't get an AQ.

AO schools at the DIII level with the exception of a handful do not play a national schedule and those would be schools in the UAA: Chicago, Wash U, Emory etc...all you are is revisting a football argument on the hardwood.  The one where some conferences like the UMAC should never have an automatic qualifier, because they are in a crappy conference,  but it is what it is and everyone with an AQ gets in...the only way to compare schools is their regional record, it might not be the best but it is what the NCAA at the DIII level has always done, deal with it...

Let me give you a football for instance, back in 2000 it was probably down to SJU and Ill Weslyn...we graded out better in region and then went to the Stagg Bowl, occasionally they get it right...

Your right Drake I am a little testy, must be the impending showdown at the Shoe!

[AO]

AO, they do put the next best in the tournament, see, that's the deal. They may not publish a national ranking but they do compare them all against each other. There is not a quota of a certain number of at-large bids per region.

They're not going to bus Bethel to Ohio to play but if they think Bethel grades out better than Wooster and both are up for the at-large bid then Bethel will get it.

if they didn't do the regional rankings, then wooster wouldn't be even be compared with Bethel as wooster is significantly lower on the national rankings.  wooster gets in before the 9th best team in the west, because the 9th best team in the west is not in the regional rankings.

[AO]

VOJ

AO schools at the DIII level with the exception of a handful do not play a national schedule and those would be schools in the UAA: Chicago, Wash U, Emory etc...all you are is revisting a football argument on the hardwood.  The one where some conferences like the UMAC should never have an automatic qualifier, because they are in a crappy conference,  but it is what it is and everyone with an AQ gets in...the only way to compare schools is their regional record, it might not be the best but it is what the NCAA at the DIII level has always done, deal with it...your right Drake I am a little testy, must be the impending showdown at the Shoe!

Then gonzaga doesn't get in the tourney back when they needed the AQ, or davidson, george mason.  The AQ is a part of what makes March Madness sweet.