Tourney Teams

I have to tell you, I do not envy the tourney committee.

Ok, as sick as I am for sports and statistics and arguments, maybe I do....just a little bit.
BUT

They really take it on the chin every year. Every fan has a thought about how they screwed up, and I am no exception. This year was particularly thin on at-large picks, but there is still one that I have to take issue with.

Being in Wichita, I am no Creighton fan, as those who know about the Missouri Valley can attest, Shocker and Creighton games are not examples of what would be called a friendly rivalry. They are hotly contested, often bloody, fabulous games of basketball.

That said, there is no way that Creighton should not be in the tournament. They are the best team in a top 10 conference, won 26 games, including an 18 point thrashing of tourney bound Dayton. Dayton is an 11 seed and got throttled by a BlueJay team that, athletically, can match up with nearly anyone in the country.

Forget the top 40 RPI, the 11 AND 9 game winning streaks during the regular season, the 12-3 out of conference record, and the obvious talent they put on the floor, especially on the wings. Can you tell me the last time a team from a top 10 conference won 25 games and didn't make the tournament?

Well....

Before Creighton this year, IT HAD NEVER HAPPENED.

Now, next year I am going to revert back to rooting against the Blue Jays, but for now. I hope they stomp everyone in their path on the way to an NIT title and prove that the Valley is not a one bid league. For god's sake, the #7 team in their conference tournament beat 3 NCAA teams, one of them on a neutral court (shameless plug for WSU, watch out for them next year. They are losing a single player from their regular rotation, and will likely replace him with a 7 footer.).

Oh, and for good measure, one more complaint. Let's take a quick look at the Big 12. They got 6 teams in the tournament with the #3 team taking the conference tournament. Kansas State, the #4 seed in that tournament, is in the NIT.

That is just fishy to me.

Ah well, time for the games to start. :)

Oh, and v. 2 of my NFL mock draft will be out shortly.