2009.05.26
Guest blogger takes on NCAA baseball
(NOTE: Former Charlottesville Daily Progress reporter Andrew Joyner now works in marketing in Chapel Hill, N.C.)
Even after leaving the media arena and basically as just a fan now, I still try and see things through as neutral a filter as possible. But I cannot understand this seeding situation with UVa no matter how one slices it.
From an economy standpoint, it makes little sense in alignment with the NCAA’s stated goal of less travel and less travel expenses. While hypocrisy and the NCAA connect more than Paris Hilton and cameras, it always amazes me how often a “selection committee” can cite one fact for justifying one thing and dismiss the same exact circumstance for justifying a completely different outcome.
For example, by granting the ACC four host regional sites, a full quarter of the possible host sites, it is essentially making the statement that the ACC is the nation’s best conference. It is contradictory then to at the same time justify Virginia’s seeding and placement by pointing to a weak regular-season schedule.
One seemingly trumps the other: either Virginia had a weak regular-season performance or it plays in the toughest conference in America (and 57% of Virginia’s total games played were against ACC competition). Those two hypotheses or statements cannot exist then at the same time. That defies simple logic.
These are the reasons I continue to feel that the NCAA is perhaps the most hypocritical organization in America, if not the last resemblance of the Communist party in America. I say the latter very tongue in cheek but let’s for a second think of the scrutiny this morning if these NCAA selections were monitored on the same level as the men’s basketball tournament’s ones – a seemingly year-long process that has weekly analysis by pundits.
Well, the hoos have plenty of money and big giver boosters, so the travel money is no problem. Also, I find it funny to hear the hoo winers complaining about the seedings. I really do not think many people in the state care about their seeding, but they really do care about their underachieving football and basketball !! Maybe one of the big boosters could fork up the money to get a real football team.
Comment by Tony in Roanoke — May 26, 2009 @ 9:13 pm
I suppose Tony in Roanoke is another Hokie that thinks the world revolves around VT football. Hey Tony, there are other sports. Maybe you could put a bass fishing trophy in that empty national champ trophy case.
Comment by tom — May 27, 2009 @ 11:52 am
I don't follow UVa baseball, but if I were a coach I wouldn't say anything about this "unfavorable" seeding: you don't want to give your players an excuse for losing before the game is ever played. In college sports, no one guarantees you before the NCAA tournament is played that you're going to get to play who you want, where you want!
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As for "UVa or Virginia Tech: Who has the better athletic program?
Tech and UVa face different challenges," my opinion is:
I personally only care about men's college basketball and football. None of the
other sports matter to me. I wonder what percentage of the college sports fans population nationally feel this way. 1%? 10%? 70%?
Virginia's football program is barely ahead of Richmond's and Liberty University's. On a neutral field, I think UVa and Richmond would be about equal, and I think UVa would struggle to beat Liberty in football on Liberty University's field!
In basketball, you could have put Radford, Liberty, VMI, and UVa in a hat and all 4 were about equal in men's basketball this past year!
Anyway, if you're ranking men's basketball and football programs and not facilities, UVa isn't even in the same world as Virginia Tech right now!
And lookout UVa football: Old Dominion is gaining on the Cavaliers fast!
Comment by Nelson — May 27, 2009 @ 4:03 pm
hey, tom, VT football is important and popular in the Roanoke valley and around the state. Look who sells out all their season football tickets without ad after ad on TV.
Comment by Tony in Roanoke — May 28, 2009 @ 10:57 am
"hey, tom, VT football is important and popular in the Roanoke valley and around the state. Look who sells out all their season football tickets without ad after ad on TV."
Yeah, and you only had to sell your souls to the Vick brothers to do it. Now if you'll excuse me, there's a apparel management major at the door with my pizza.
Comment by Scott M — May 28, 2009 @ 7:38 pm