MBB: Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association

[ziggy]

Glad to see Hope is hosting again next weekend.  That means good quality video, and hopefully, most of the seats will be filled.  I was surprised how poor the attendance was at some of the hosting sites.  I know gym size is one of the criteria, but also attendance when a team is awarded a pod should be tracked.

Hanover's reward for being higher ranked in the final regional rankings is a true road game in the Sweet 16. I'm sure they're thrilled.

Move the campus 80 miles north and you won't have this problem.

Or put the sectional at Augustana.

Yes, Hope may be a more worthy host over Augustana (slightly) but, to me, that should go out the window when the true worthy host is Hanover. Put the sectional at Augustana and Hanover gets a neutral court game against Hope instead of being punished because of geography. Augustana is also a more central location.

[Ryan Scott (Hoops Fan)]

Glad to see Hope is hosting again next weekend.  That means good quality video, and hopefully, most of the seats will be filled.  I was surprised how poor the attendance was at some of the hosting sites.  I know gym size is one of the criteria, but also attendance when a team is awarded a pod should be tracked.

Hanover's reward for being higher ranked in the final regional rankings is a true road game in the Sweet 16. I'm sure they're thrilled.

Move the campus 80 miles north and you won't have this problem.

Or put the sectional at Augustana.

Yes, Hope may be a more worthy host over Augustana (slightly) but, to me, that should go out the window when the true worthy host is Hanover. Put the sectional at Augustana and Hanover gets a neutral court game against Hope instead of being punished because of geography. Augustana is also a more central location.

That's my feeling on the matter, as well, but I don't think we're in the majority.  Also, in a heavy travel year, I imagine the thought of 3500 tickets might've been part of the deal, too. (Hosting criteria does include room for the committee to factor in hotels, tickets sales, and other amenities available - so it is above board.)

[HOPEful]

This works quite often. The Dew Crew has utilized it a lot. It (almost) worked a few times against Oshkosh but Ben Boots felt like making some heroic contested 3s. It has definitely resulted in many air balls in the past few years, especially against teams that aren't used to playing in front of a few thousand people. Bad sportsmanship? Call a doctor, my eyes just rolled into the back of my head.

This is by far my favorite thing the Dew Crew does. It is a very engaged and intelligent way to help your team from the stands. Prepared teams come to Holland having scouted the Dutchmen, DeVos, and the Dew Crew. These teams yell out the shot clock from their bench and stands. It is effective and thwarts the Dew Crew's attempts to rush the away teams offense. 

Adding "Washington Sucks" instead of "BAH BAH BAH" to Sweet Caroline is bad sportsmanship. Adding the unoriginal "SUCK!" to the end of the "You You You..." is bad sportsmanship. I remember Ray Smith would come over purple in the face back in the day when he would hear these type of things from the student section. I wouldn't mind seeing a little more policing of these things by Tim and Melinda.

[Flying Dutch Fan]

Glad to see Hope is hosting again next weekend.  That means good quality video, and hopefully, most of the seats will be filled.  I was surprised how poor the attendance was at some of the hosting sites.  I know gym size is one of the criteria, but also attendance when a team is awarded a pod should be tracked.

Hanover's reward for being higher ranked in the final regional rankings is a true road game in the Sweet 16. I'm sure they're thrilled.

Move the campus 80 miles north and you won't have this problem.

Or put the sectional at Augustana.

Yes, Hope may be a more worthy host over Augustana (slightly) but, to me, that should go out the window when the true worthy host is Hanover. Put the sectional at Augustana and Hanover gets a neutral court game against Hope instead of being punished because of geography. Augustana is also a more central location.

So when they decided Hanover was out to host (due to the flight requirement for Wartburg), then the committee  rightfully evaluated the 3 remaining teams using the defined criteria (quoted below - thanks KnightSlappy).  Hope comes out on top in every single one of them.  How could you justify it not being at Hope then - just to be nice to someone??  That would have been indefensible IMHO.

The Championships Committee has prioritized the following site-selection criteria for all championships:
1. Complete bid;
2. Quality and availability of the facility and other necessary accommodations;
3. Geographical location (which may include such factors as rotation of sites, weather, accessibility and transportation costs);
4. Seeding; and
5. Attendance history, hosting history and revenue potential, which shall be considered necessary to assure fiscal responsibility.

[KnightSlappy]

So when they decided Hanover was out to host (due to the flight requirement for Wartburg), then the committee  rightfully evaluated the 3 remaining teams using the defined criteria (quoted below - thanks KnightSlappy).  Hope comes out on top in every single one of them.  How could you justify it not being at Hope then - just to be nice to someone??  That would have been indefensible IMHO.

The Championships Committee has prioritized the following site-selection criteria for all championships:
1. Complete bid;
2. Quality and availability of the facility and other necessary accommodations;
3. Geographical location (which may include such factors as rotation of sites, weather, accessibility and transportation costs);
4. Seeding; and
5. Attendance history, hosting history and revenue potential, which shall be considered necessary to assure fiscal responsibility.

I don't think any of us know if Hope comes out ahead in #1. Possibly #2, though Augustana's facilities and accommodations have been fine for the NCAA in the past. Any Hope advantage here would be rather marginal.

Augustana probably comes out ahead in #3 with fewer total miles of travel and also in the sense of rotation of sites.

Hope comes out ahead in #4, though they were both ranked fourth in their respective regions. Hope comes out ahead in #5.

I think it would have been very reasonable for the committee to put the sectional at Augustana.

[ziggy]

Glad to see Hope is hosting again next weekend.  That means good quality video, and hopefully, most of the seats will be filled.  I was surprised how poor the attendance was at some of the hosting sites.  I know gym size is one of the criteria, but also attendance when a team is awarded a pod should be tracked.

Hanover's reward for being higher ranked in the final regional rankings is a true road game in the Sweet 16. I'm sure they're thrilled.

Move the campus 80 miles north and you won't have this problem.

Or put the sectional at Augustana.

Yes, Hope may be a more worthy host over Augustana (slightly) but, to me, that should go out the window when the true worthy host is Hanover. Put the sectional at Augustana and Hanover gets a neutral court game against Hope instead of being punished because of geography. Augustana is also a more central location.

So when they decided Hanover was out to host (due to the flight requirement for Wartburg), then the committee  rightfully evaluated the 3 remaining teams using the defined criteria (quoted below - thanks KnightSlappy).  Hope comes out on top in every single one of them.  How could you justify it not being at Hope then - just to be nice to someone??  That would have been indefensible IMHO.

The Championships Committee has prioritized the following site-selection criteria for all championships:
1. Complete bid;
2. Quality and availability of the facility and other necessary accommodations;
3. Geographical location (which may include such factors as rotation of sites, weather, accessibility and transportation costs);
4. Seeding; and
5. Attendance history, hosting history and revenue potential, which shall be considered necessary to assure fiscal responsibility.

All it says is seeding. Which scenario is more true to site selection based on seeding: the one that sends the top seed to play a road game, or the one that sends the top seed to play a neutral court game?

[HopeConvert]

The ticket office was getting slammed this morning. I don't know if it will sell out, but it will be pretty full.

I don't know how it's more fair to Hanover to have them (potentially) play Augustana in Rock Island than to play Hope in Holland - the former not being a "neutral court" game.

[ziggy]

The ticket office was getting slammed this morning. I don't know if it will sell out, but it will be pretty full.

I don't know how it's more fair to Hanover to have them (potentially) play Augustana in Rock Island than to play Hope in Holland - the former not being a "neutral court" game.

It turns out you do know, based on your word choice.

As a top seed unable to host because of a D3-ism, I'd gladly take the neutral court game with a possible road game in the next round over the guaranteed road game with a possible neutral court game.

[HopeConvert]

The ticket office was getting slammed this morning. I don't know if it will sell out, but it will be pretty full.

I don't know how it's more fair to Hanover to have them (potentially) play Augustana in Rock Island than to play Hope in Holland - the former not being a "neutral court" game.

It turns out you do know, based on your word choice.

As a top seed unable to host because of a D3-ism, I'd gladly take the neutral court game with a possible road game in the next round over the guaranteed road game with a possible neutral court game.

You have to win them both anyway. I think it's a distinction without a difference.

[HOPEful]

A lot of hoopla about what was essentially a coin flip... If Augustana was the host, there would be screaming about how Hope fit the criteria better. I can remember many times Hope's geography forced them to play a road game when they were the top seed in their pod. If you consider hope's wins against Oshkosh and Washington vs. Hanover's wins against Westminster and North Central, I wonder what an updated SOS would look like... Hope's vRRO would be up to 4-1...

[oldknight]

Glad to see Hope is hosting again next weekend.  That means good quality video, and hopefully, most of the seats will be filled.  I was surprised how poor the attendance was at some of the hosting sites.  I know gym size is one of the criteria, but also attendance when a team is awarded a pod should be tracked.

Hanover's reward for being higher ranked in the final regional rankings is a true road game in the Sweet 16. I'm sure they're thrilled.

It's my understanding Hanover never put in a bid. I don't think the NCAA can force a school to host.

[ziggy]

A lot of hoopla about what was essentially a coin flip... If Augustana was the host, there would be screaming about how Hope fit the criteria better. I can remember many times Hope's geography forced them to play a road game when they were the top seed in their pod. If you consider hope's wins against Oshkosh and Washington vs. Hanover's wins against Westminster and North Central, I wonder what an updated SOS would look like... Hope's vRRO would be up to 4-1...

That is an interesting perspective, but if you expand it to Augustana, they draw even closer to Hope than they already were.

[Roundball999]

Glad to see Hope is hosting again next weekend.  That means good quality video, and hopefully, most of the seats will be filled.  I was surprised how poor the attendance was at some of the hosting sites.  I know gym size is one of the criteria, but also attendance when a team is awarded a pod should be tracked.

Hanover's reward for being higher ranked in the final regional rankings is a true road game in the Sweet 16. I'm sure they're thrilled.

It's my understanding Hanover never put in a bid. I don't think the NCAA can force a school to host.

Well, that would trump everything wouldn't it.  And before anyone goes off, that was NOT a political statement

[sac]

Everyone who did a mock Pool C selection had Hope in before Augustana.  Ergo, Hope is the higher seeded team of the two, ergo the higher seeded team remaining in the pod that can host based on travel and location.

Pool C criteria, this isn't even close
12) Hope (0.800, 0.525, 2-1, GL)
19) Augustana (.704, 0.543, 2-3, CE)

Any other crying here about Hope hosting is bitter rival jealousy.

[HOPEful]