Myopicraiderfan
12-19-2006, 04:19 PM
I think we should have a Bilas\Gottlieb throw down.
Gottlieb
10 Truths
http://insider.espn.go.com/ncb/insider/columns/story?columnist=gottlieb_doug&id=2702238
1. Parity is here. Get used to it
While many are in denial about exactly what we saw in the final RPI and NCAA Tournament last season, the numbers tell more of the story than many basketball pundits and big-time head coaches want you to believe.
Those numbers -- like the four Missouri Valley teams in the Dance (with two in the Sweet 16), the unlikely march to the Final Four by CAA Cinderella George Mason, this year's wins by Butler and Wichita State, etc. -- make it so obvious that there is less space between the elite names in the sport and everyone else.
The big boys have talented but young and mostly inexperienced stars, whereas the mid-majors have age, experience and in many cases a newfound consistency in the coaching ranks thanks to several schools' paying to keep their coaches. In addition, the depth of talent is not nearly what it used to be at the elite schools, nor is the talent disparity that great to begin with.
Blame the NBA, blame AAU coaches, blame the overhyping of high school talents or just blame the NCAA for having more teams and fewer scholarships per team. Whoever or whatever you blame, you better realize that parity will not go away just because Greg Oden came to college for a year.
5. Conferences should get credit for individual team wins
Whereas some may have you believe that each team stands on its own merits come March, the truth is that because teams are in the ACC, Big East, Big Ten, Big 12, Pac-10 and SEC, they are deemed as superior. As such, if a team wins half of its conference games, the strength of the conference pulls it into the NCAA Tournament discussion. If the conference is held in that high amount of regard because of its name and credentials, other conferences should get the same benefit of the doubt.
Bilas
Good mids deserve kudos, but don't equal parity
http://insider.espn.go.com/ncb/insider/columns/story?columnist=bilas_jay&id=2701477
Missouri Valley (10): Southern Illinois, Creighton, Missouri State and Wichita State are the programs that have been solid enough over time to be termed on par with the better teams in major conferences. Clearly, of the mid-major leagues, this one is the best, with the most really good teams. Bradley, Northern Iowa and Indiana State have been good at times, but not quite as good as the top four above. Southern Illinois has been the best program since the mid-1990s, and has been clearly the most consistent since 1999. Because of the success of several Valley teams over the last couple of years, let's give the MVC Southern Illinois, Wichita State, Missouri State, Creighton, Northern Iowa and Bradley.
Thanks to the Missouri Valley, after looking at 135 teams, we are at eight teams that are on par with the better teams in the major conferences on a consistent basis.
So, of the mid-major leagues, we have identified 16 programs out of more than 200 that are on par with the better teams in the major conferences. To be clear, there are several major conference teams that do not measure up to the level of these 16 mid-major programs since 2000, but below-average major conference teams are not the measure of performance we are concerned with. The fact that these mid-majors are better than several majors is not the standard.
Of the so-called major conferences, we have identified 40 programs that have been among the better teams in the country over the past several years.
Sixteen out of more than 200, especially when compared by 40 out of less than 100, is not true parity.
Conclusion
College basketball is and should be about individual teams, not leagues. Conference affiliation and conference pride are great things, but when Butler beats Purdue, Indiana and Notre Dame, it says absolutely nothing about how good Wisconsin-Milwaukee and Detroit are. Similarly, if Bradley gets beat by 29 at Michigan State, it does not and should not impact the analysis or perception of Southern Illinois and Wichita State. Bradley's results speak only about Bradley.
A really good team is a really good team, period. Southern Illinois is a really good team and so is Butler. North Carolina is a really good team and so is UCLA. We can make determinations about which teams can play, and which teams cannot, by observing them play against good competition. However, trumpeting mid-major wins over bad major teams says nothing about the mid-major's ability level, and I believe it hurts the mid-majors.
Similarly, when a major beats a good team that just happens to be a mid-major, it should not be ignored because it is expected. When a good major team loses to a good mid-major team, it is not an affront to the major. We have to stop characterizing a Butler win over Indiana or Purdue as a David vs. Goliath upset, especially when Indiana and Purdue are not quite as strong as they have been in the past. This kind of disparate treatment of the mid-majors and their results is not fair to anyone and hurts the game.
Let's evaluate the teams individually, on their own merit and only their own merit, without concern for conference affiliation. And let's give credit where credit is due, to the mid-majors and to the majors. Until we do that, we won't really provide the players and coaches what they really deserve: a fair shake and the appropriate respect.
Gottlieb
10 Truths
http://insider.espn.go.com/ncb/insider/columns/story?columnist=gottlieb_doug&id=2702238
1. Parity is here. Get used to it
While many are in denial about exactly what we saw in the final RPI and NCAA Tournament last season, the numbers tell more of the story than many basketball pundits and big-time head coaches want you to believe.
Those numbers -- like the four Missouri Valley teams in the Dance (with two in the Sweet 16), the unlikely march to the Final Four by CAA Cinderella George Mason, this year's wins by Butler and Wichita State, etc. -- make it so obvious that there is less space between the elite names in the sport and everyone else.
The big boys have talented but young and mostly inexperienced stars, whereas the mid-majors have age, experience and in many cases a newfound consistency in the coaching ranks thanks to several schools' paying to keep their coaches. In addition, the depth of talent is not nearly what it used to be at the elite schools, nor is the talent disparity that great to begin with.
Blame the NBA, blame AAU coaches, blame the overhyping of high school talents or just blame the NCAA for having more teams and fewer scholarships per team. Whoever or whatever you blame, you better realize that parity will not go away just because Greg Oden came to college for a year.
5. Conferences should get credit for individual team wins
Whereas some may have you believe that each team stands on its own merits come March, the truth is that because teams are in the ACC, Big East, Big Ten, Big 12, Pac-10 and SEC, they are deemed as superior. As such, if a team wins half of its conference games, the strength of the conference pulls it into the NCAA Tournament discussion. If the conference is held in that high amount of regard because of its name and credentials, other conferences should get the same benefit of the doubt.
Bilas
Good mids deserve kudos, but don't equal parity
http://insider.espn.go.com/ncb/insider/columns/story?columnist=bilas_jay&id=2701477
Missouri Valley (10): Southern Illinois, Creighton, Missouri State and Wichita State are the programs that have been solid enough over time to be termed on par with the better teams in major conferences. Clearly, of the mid-major leagues, this one is the best, with the most really good teams. Bradley, Northern Iowa and Indiana State have been good at times, but not quite as good as the top four above. Southern Illinois has been the best program since the mid-1990s, and has been clearly the most consistent since 1999. Because of the success of several Valley teams over the last couple of years, let's give the MVC Southern Illinois, Wichita State, Missouri State, Creighton, Northern Iowa and Bradley.
Thanks to the Missouri Valley, after looking at 135 teams, we are at eight teams that are on par with the better teams in the major conferences on a consistent basis.
So, of the mid-major leagues, we have identified 16 programs out of more than 200 that are on par with the better teams in the major conferences. To be clear, there are several major conference teams that do not measure up to the level of these 16 mid-major programs since 2000, but below-average major conference teams are not the measure of performance we are concerned with. The fact that these mid-majors are better than several majors is not the standard.
Of the so-called major conferences, we have identified 40 programs that have been among the better teams in the country over the past several years.
Sixteen out of more than 200, especially when compared by 40 out of less than 100, is not true parity.
Conclusion
College basketball is and should be about individual teams, not leagues. Conference affiliation and conference pride are great things, but when Butler beats Purdue, Indiana and Notre Dame, it says absolutely nothing about how good Wisconsin-Milwaukee and Detroit are. Similarly, if Bradley gets beat by 29 at Michigan State, it does not and should not impact the analysis or perception of Southern Illinois and Wichita State. Bradley's results speak only about Bradley.
A really good team is a really good team, period. Southern Illinois is a really good team and so is Butler. North Carolina is a really good team and so is UCLA. We can make determinations about which teams can play, and which teams cannot, by observing them play against good competition. However, trumpeting mid-major wins over bad major teams says nothing about the mid-major's ability level, and I believe it hurts the mid-majors.
Similarly, when a major beats a good team that just happens to be a mid-major, it should not be ignored because it is expected. When a good major team loses to a good mid-major team, it is not an affront to the major. We have to stop characterizing a Butler win over Indiana or Purdue as a David vs. Goliath upset, especially when Indiana and Purdue are not quite as strong as they have been in the past. This kind of disparate treatment of the mid-majors and their results is not fair to anyone and hurts the game.
Let's evaluate the teams individually, on their own merit and only their own merit, without concern for conference affiliation. And let's give credit where credit is due, to the mid-majors and to the majors. Until we do that, we won't really provide the players and coaches what they really deserve: a fair shake and the appropriate respect.