Tgr4life 170 Report post Posted March 21 Any thoughts on Tom Izzo suggesting removal of automatic qualifiers for Mid-Major programs. The beginning of the end? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mat1992 2,237 Report post Posted March 21 "I'm not sure I understand why, but the conference tournament things, you can go and like Purdue go 17-3 and dominate the conference and then lose. It's okay if it's the second place team, but I think that makes it hard, why some teams will get left out. I don't know if something could be fixed there," Izzo told the media. "There's getting to be more parity, there's getting to be more unknowns, there's getting to be more upsets, there's getting to be more of these, what, 20 of the 32 conferences, the regular season champ did not − it just doesn't happen like that. So I think it needs to be taken a serious look at." He didn't say get rid of the automatic bid for conference tournaments (insinuated it), but it's typical thinking for high-majors and I wouldn't worry about it in college basketball. College football can knock off all the mid-majors and then have them join their super-conferences when they've earned it.There's a certain charm about an FDU, GMU, VCU, UMBC, winning early or going far. Would Maryland be a Cinderella if they got in as a .500 team and went far (of course they wouldn't this season)? Of course not. The Power 5/6 are worried about the Mountain West surpassing them and having Final Fours with San Diego State and FDU. How about worrying more about NIL and winning more games? Tom is close to retiring anyhow so he's just spouting off. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TuTigers2012 1,071 Report post Posted March 21 Conference tournaments only help the power conferences. Their #1 team is always going to be in. A team or two on the bubble? Make a little run and improve your resume (Colorado, Texas A&M), or get in with the automatic (NC State, Oregon). It also helps by keeping out the better mid major teams. Imagine how many more upsets there would be if the mid-majors sent their best team?! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mat1992 2,237 Report post Posted March 21 Conference tournaments are here to stay ($$$). Maybe it will be altered at some point. Limit the amount of teams in, etc. But there's no direction in college basketball so it's a free-for-all. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tiger93 299 Report post Posted March 21 2 hours ago, mat1992 said: Conference tournaments are here to stay ($$$). Maybe it will be altered at some point. Limit the amount of teams in, etc. But there's no direction in college basketball so it's a free-for-all. I think the conference tournament week and a half is every bit as fun in not more as the NCAA Tournament for college basketball purists, except when Towson disappoints us. However, I would question the amount of overall money/ratings/eyeballs these conference tournaments make for anyone but the power conferences and a select few conferences. At this point, I think they are mostly used as a narrative onramp for the NCAA Tournament, which not surprisingly hurts the smaller conferences. I enjoy the conference tournament element, but I also think it would be better for the sport to send the team that is the best the entire year to represent the conference. That being said, I still think conference tournaments are fun and I enjoy it being part of the unique personality of college basketball. I am just always suspicious anyone who tells me that they don't want to get rid of something college sports because of the money. It is also generally a pyramid scheme that only benefits a smaller (and increasingly more elite) group of programs. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mat1992 2,237 Report post Posted March 21 2 hours ago, Tiger93 said: I think the conference tournament week and a half is every bit as fun in not more as the NCAA Tournament for college basketball purists, except when Towson disappoints us. However, I would question the amount of overall money/ratings/eyeballs these conference tournaments make for anyone but the power conferences and a select few conferences. At this point, I think they are mostly used as a narrative onramp for the NCAA Tournament, which not surprisingly hurts the smaller conferences. I enjoy the conference tournament element, but I also think it would be better for the sport to send the team that is the best the entire year to represent the conference. That being said, I still think conference tournaments are fun and I enjoy it being part of the unique personality of college basketball. I am just always suspicious anyone who tells me that they don't want to get rid of something college sports because of the money. It is also generally a pyramid scheme that only benefits a smaller (and increasingly more elite) group of programs. The ratings are most likely the best most college basketball games get all year before the NCAA Tournament. That’s what I’m referring to in terms of money. Sure, the mid majors are not making huge money for getting one or two nationally televised games. I would hate for them to get rid of these tournaments because that’s where you get the most intensity and buzzer beaters Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mat1992 2,237 Report post Posted March 22 Screw Izzo. Go Oakland Golden Grizzlies! 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
