MBB: Landmark Conference

[San Juan]

Dave is this the same chairperson 2 years ago that screwed Scranton from hosting and sent them up north to Brockport?I think the committee should be made up of individually outside divison 3 it should be a committee of d2 or some other source.Because let's be realistic here they (committee )can be influenced by someone else.So to be on the selection committee I think you should not have any ties to any d3 program.Because let's be honest here with are self you could be influenced by a team over b team because of someone on the committee can be alot closer to (A)team then (B)team.

[Ryan Scott (Hoops Fan)]

Dave is this the same chairperson 2 years ago that screwed Scranton from hosting and sent them up north to Brockport?I think the committee should be made up of individually outside divison 3 it should be a committee of d2 or some other source.Because let's be realistic here they (committee )can be influenced by someone else.So to be on the selection committee I think you should not have any ties to any d3 program.Because let's be honest here with are self you could be influenced by a team over b team because of someone on the committee can be alot closer to (A)team then (B)team.

If they don't have ties to any d3 program, they won't know enough to make decent decisions.  They do this extremely well.  If you look back at brackets from ten or fifteen years ago, you'd be really happy about how the process has evolved.

[San Juan]

Hoops fan if they just crunch the number then why not have a committee from outside d3.Let me tell you back in the late 70s and early 80s Dr Renkell from Albright was on the committee and Scranton should have hosted but Renkell being on the committee pulled some strings and Albright which was in the playoff got to host instead.So if you guys are not saying there is no influence on the committee I just don't believe it.I have been around the game along time to now there will always be someone on the committee to do favors for certain teams.Scranton a team that has the most Ncaa playoffs hosted once since Danzig has been coach and then you look at a team like Emory 18-7or Amherst or Wooster that 95%of the time in the last ten years hosting there is something wrong.Maybe not this year but look at the past couple years.

[Dave 'd-mac' McHugh]

The women have been more resistant in this regard as you've mentioned.
Even last season I remember there being a mini meltdown by some team about not getting in that most thought would make it & you had the actual chairperson on your show & asked her point blank why were they left out & someone else was given the chance. Her answer sounded more like Jackie Gleason on the Honeymooners when caught doing something dumb by his wife as opposed to a well thought out & articulate defense.

The women's committee chair last year (and the year before) was Dave Martin of Misericorida (at the time)... not sure who you thought I was talking to. Prior to that - completely different story. LOL

Dave is no longer chair because two things happened:
- he initially stepped down as chair, but remain on the committee, because he wanted to give someone else a chance on the committee or he would have served four years as chair
- he then shifted to Scranton which took him out of the Atlantic and put him in the Mid-Atlantic where Bobbi Morgan already was RAC chair... that removed him from the board completely.

Don't always agree but the effort you've given over the past several days to keep us all informed about all the teams in all the regions has been fantastic.

Thanks...well done.

Thank you... I do appreciate this. It is a very exhausting few weeks and final four days (including Monday), so I appreciate that the effort is noticed.

Dave is this the same chairperson 2 years ago that screwed Scranton from hosting and sent them up north to Brockport?I think the committee should be made up of individually outside divison 3 it should be a committee of d2 or some other source.Because let's be realistic here they (committee )can be influenced by someone else.So to be on the selection committee I think you should not have any ties to any d3 program.Because let's be honest here with are self you could be influenced by a team over b team because of someone on the committee can be alot closer to (A)team then (B)team.

Sorry - but no chance. We have people complaining now that committee members don't understand or appreciate teams. Now you want to bring in someone from Division II, which has FAR less teams and slightly different requirements (they have one I have to look up that would never work in Division III) and have them pick the teams in Division III? I'm sorry, but I am not for that and I can't imagine one single person in Division III who would be for that.

I get what you are saying, but believe it or not the national committee especially over the last ten plus years has evolved into a very good group. The evolution of things has been amazing and what they do now to get teams in and get the bracket put together is simply terrific compared to where this all started. I know all of them, and most of them very well, and they check their egos at the door, they make sure they come to the table educated and informed, and are willing to have their own thoughts and beliefs not only challenged but changed.

No, the chairperson two years ago was not the same one as this year. That was Steve Ulrich and he is off the board (last year was his last year on the board). And it wasn't Steve who made the decision to move Scranton that year. That was a committee decision. I will also say that I think the committee learned a lot from that particular year. I truly now believe that 2014 was a transition year in many ways. They 2012 was still a little old school, 2013 was ridiculously tough because of Atlanta, and 2014 saw a lot of newer faces than normal. The committee was trying to evolve and move forward and they took some leaps of faith and they didn't pan out - to make matters worse, the Ulrich interview was hands down one of my worst in my Hoopsville career from a personal point of view. I actually think what they did with Scranton (and wasn't explained very well at the time) is what we now hear they are doing. They are going to allow the top seeds to host, but no longer protect the second regionally ranked team. The second "set" of hosts are going to be based more on who deserves it nationally coupled with geographic needs. Scranton was the second regionally ranked team that year. They were probably a sign of this new shift. This year the Mid-Atlantic got three hosts and the committee chair flatly said they felt the Great Lakes and Mid-Atlantic (along with Central) were the deepest regions in terms of good teams from top to bottom and we rewarded accordingly.

Hoops fan if they just crunch the number then why not have a committee from outside d3.Let me tell you back in the late 70s and early 80s Dr Renkell from Albright was on the committee and Scranton should have hosted but Renkell being on the committee pulled some strings and Albright which was in the playoff got to host instead.So if you guys are not saying there is no influence on the committee I just don't believe it.I have been around the game along time to now there will always be someone on the committee to do favors for certain teams.Scranton a team that has the most Ncaa playoffs hosted once since Danzig has been coach and then you look at a team like Emory 18-7or Amherst or Wooster that 95%of the time in the last ten years hosting there is something wrong.Maybe not this year but look at the past couple years.

But it is more than crunching numbers. They are understanding why the Northeast can have 10 results versus regionally ranked opponents and a Texas team can have three and it might be considered equal because of locations and regions.

What you describe in the 70s and 80s continued into the 90s. I would be happy to tell you the story, if you don't know it, of how Goucher got completely screwed out of the tournament and why I feel it may have been the tipping point to get rid of the "good old boys" system. That system really doesn't reside anymore. I talk to these committee members on the air, over the phone, via text, and especially over a few beers. I will push them and prode them for information and I will pick up if I think something is off - and you better believe I will call them out on it if need be. I no longer sense the good old boys system in place. They are well aware of the responsibilities they have to get the selections and brackets done as well as possible and take those responsibilities seriously. Also those at the top of the NABC want what is best for the entire country and student-athletes and will speak up when anyone seems to be getting screwed (the 2014 bracket was a hot topic both of what I was arguing about and how I argued it) and considering those at the top of the NABC aren't even in the tournament should speak volumes to what people are talking about and considering when making these decisions.

NABC leaders (both in title and in work):
- Page Moir, Roanoke
- Charlie Brock, Springfield
- Gary Stewart, Stevenson
- Pat Cunningham, Trinity (TX)
- Mike McGrath, Chicago
- Dan Priest, Kenyon
- there are several others I could mention

There simply isn't favors going on and I challenge and welcome you to talk to committee members and NABC individuals. They are more than transparent and happy to discuss things with you. Their contact information is public record and they are always happy to talk about the process and their goals and motivations.

As for looking for something wrong - you are seeing things. If there was something wrong, I would call them on it as I did in 2014. I feel you are looking for reasons to suspect a conspiracy when in reality these people are doing their best for the student-athletes involved. We call out the women and we have actually called out the men when necessary.

[CardsFan]

Landmark Awards officially announced today. Brendan Boken wins POY.

1st Team
Brendan Boken (Scranton)
Bryson Fonville (Catholic)
Jay Howard (Catholic)
Mike Klinger (Drew)
Marcus Lee (Juniata)
Josh Miller (Susquehanna)

2nd Team
Brandon Hedley (Susquehanna)
Kevin Herring II (Drew)
Brandon McGuire (Moravian)
Kevin Miles (Goucher)
John Vitkus (Scranton)
Steven Weidlich (Susquehanna)

Defensive POY: Vitkus
Rookie of the Year: Oneil Holder (Moravian)
Coaching Staff: Susquehanna

Did okay with my picks. I knew 2nd team would look different from what I thought. I really believe David Smith from USMMA should've been a 2nd teamer, but there's always deserving players left out.

[San Juan]

Dave next time you have the committee on just ask one question why does Amherst always host please do that for me since 2002 to 2016 everything was at Amherst in round 1 or2 with the exception of 2009 the only time and they were beaten by Gwynedd Mercy.Scranton couldn't even host in 2014 with a 24-3 that year I think with Amherst hosting every year since 2002 except maybe 1 or 2 years is not transparent

[Ryan Scott (Hoops Fan)]

Dave next time you have the committee on just ask one question why does Amherst always host please do that for me since 2002 to 2016 everything was at Amherst in round 1 or2 with the exception of 2009 the only time and they were beaten by Gwynedd Mercy.Scranton couldn't even host in 2014 with a 24-3 that year I think with Amherst hosting every year since 2002 except maybe 1 or 2 years is not transparent

It's not a mystery.  Strength of Schedule.  They have good teams and they play good teams.  Being in the NESCAC (and single round robin) helps a lot, but there's also not a lot of power conferences nearby, so when the regional rankings come out, they're #1.  They let the top region teams host.

[Dave 'd-mac' McHugh]

Amherst didn't host last year either.

But Hoops Fan nails it... they put a better SOS together with better out-of-conference opponents. Yes, they are able to put together a better resume because the conference doesn't play as many games, but they still accomplish the feat. Further more, they usually have a handful of losses at worse. This year and last year are some of their higher numbers, but to be fair there are a lot of losses in Division III this year. I honestly can't think of a year where Amherst hosting was a shocking turn of events.

[San Juan]

 Dave why didn't they host last year?Because the women had the right and even sometimes that don't stop the men from hosting because they also got alot of byes.

[Dave 'd-mac' McHugh]

No... Amherst men wouldn't have hosted last year even if the women's weren't blocking them. They were the five-seed in the NESCAC tournament and got in thanks to getting to the NESCAC title where they lost to Wesleyan (7-seed). They were traveling no matter what - even if they had won the conference title.

And Amherst has only hosted ONCE when having the bye and the women hosted their pod as well. It took place in 2013 and because of the strangeness of the men's bracket that year it was the second weekend. Men's second round/women's round of 16 and quarterfinals. Since then, the NCAA liaisons especially on the men's side have told me it will never happen again. They feel it takes away from the experience for both sides to feel crammed into a weekend together (especially the visiting teams). But it happened once in a very wacky men's bracket to begin with.

* - I should add the double-hosting thing will actually never happen again because it looks highly likely that MBB will be a full 64-team bracket next season.

[Pat Coleman]

San Juan -- why is everything a conspiracy or a complaint? Maybe just try to enjoy the run.

[San Juan]

Coleman you and Dave are using the word conspiracy I am asking questions or is that a problem to.I never mentioned anything about conspiracy I am asking legit questions that need to be asked and everything is transparent as they say.

[Pat Coleman]

Coleman you and Dave are using the word conspiracy I am asking questions or is that a problem to.I never mentioned anything about conspiracy I am asking legit questions that need to be asked and everything is transparent as they say.

I notice you didn't try to defend the other word I used, though. Try not complaining and just watch basketball.

[San Juan]

Very intelligent answer!!!I am just posting up what this board is about!!!

[San Juan]

Lot more people on this board that complain more then me.