Shocks #24 in ESPN power rankings

[Kung Wu]

My favorite ESPN guys, in no order are Jay Bilas, Rece, Eamonn, and Gasaway.

I might be biased, as those tend to be the only 4 that give WSU any type of love on ESPN.

Gottlieb has got some sand in his underwear or something.

He probably got sick of being embarassed by us at the moment of truth in years past. This year we vindicate 'em all!

[shox1989]

He and Katz must be sharing the same bed sheets.

:sneakiness:

[wusphlash]

Kinda funny how this works. I used to get so mad at Bilas, but for the last two years he have been giving lots props. Especially down in Maui. Gottlieb has always been a big supporter and now he's not giving us proper credit. Maybe Doug doesn't like Jay.

[shox1989]

We passed Jay's eye test last year when he saw us in Maui. He has been on our side ever since.

[proshox]

Doug G is just stressing what we all know. If WSU doesn't finish strong doubts will begin. Anything more than one loss the rest of the way and WSU better plan on making it to Sunday ( playing well on national tv in a loss). It is a very long week after arch madness and lots of unexpected teams will make a push for consideration.

[ShockerKhan]

Win on Saturday and everything falls into place. The teams confidence soars and I believe we win out and are a lock at large bid.
Lose and we will have to go 4-1 the rest of the way and make it to Sunday in St.Louis. If some how UNI or MSU win the at large bid and we have lost
to CU twice, we have given the committee an excuse to leave us out.

[Capitol Shock II]

Barring a total collapse we are in. There are too many BCS teams that can't produce a solid run. Again, I expect Iowa State, K State and a number of other BCS teams to stumble between no and the end of the month. Their resumes will definately be questionable be they are questionable already.

[SB Shock]

Barring a total collapse we are in. There are too many BCS teams that can't produce a solid run. Again, I expect Iowa State, K State and a number of other BCS teams to stumble between no and the end of the month. Their resumes will definately be questionable be they are questionable already.

I think you underestimate the credit the selection committee will give to questionable and undeserving BCS teams when they make a run in their conference tournaments.

If WSU wins at Omaha and finishes strong only then will I fill secure. K-State has 3 wins in the top 50 and no bad losses, WSU only has 1 in the top 50, the committee can make a case that WSU win was just a fluke. K-State avg RPI loss is 39, WSU is 47. So there are discriminator working against WSU. Maybe this is pessimistic, but I'm just trying to look at the same metrics the NCAA selection committee will be looking at.

[rrshock]

I think the only metrics the committee looks at is BCS $$$$$$

[shockmonster]

There is no doubt that respect for non-BCS schools who take basketball seriously has improved in the past few years and that is true in the media for sure and other places to a lesser degree. But the respect isn't what it should be. Take Bob Lutz who should be an educated media person since he sees lots of good non-BCS schools on a regular basis. He (and shockernet fans at times) has been critical of other Valley teams. He doesn't think much about N. Iowa because they aren't athletic enough for him (he said "they don't pass the eye test" this morning). He was also critical of Creighton because they lost a couple of games they shouldn't have because they couldn't shoot the 3 ball and he was critical of Evansville because Creighton shouldn't have lost to them. We've been hearing these things for years. N.Iowa had little respect the year they beat KU until they beat KU. Wichita State and Bradley had little respect the year they went to the Sweet 16 until they beat Tennessee and KU.

Think of all the quality wins in the Valley this year which so many seem to forget. UNI beat Iowa State, Iowa, and Colorado State. Drake beat Iowa State and Iowa (Drake is a quality team except with Simon out). Creighton beat SDSU. ISUb beat Vandy. MSU beat Creighton WSU beat UNLV, and Colorad, and took Temple to overtime. I may be leaving a couple of high quality wins out but you get the point. Additionally, there are solid wins for several teams in the Valley against Tulsa and UAB who's RPI's are moving up. The only bad quality teams in my opinion in the Valley are Bradley, SIU, and maybe Drake now that Simon's out (although with him they were pretty). Besides these few "bad" MVC teams, our Valley teams are as good or better than most in the Pac 12, and some middle and lower BCS conference teams.

My frustration is that we shouldn't have to defend our MVC teams to people like Lutz (and even some here on Shockernet) who should know better. Good teams don't always have great athletes. They often have good coaches, players who can shoot, players who play excellent physical defense, and players who play hard and tough. This describes the MVC to a tee and a lot of our middle programs can play with most teams BCS or non.

[shox1989]

There is no doubt that respect for non-BCS schools who take basketball seriously has improved in the past few years and that is true in the media for sure and other places to a lesser degree. But the respect isn't what it should be. Take Bob Lutz who should be an educated media person since he sees lots of good non-BCS schools on a regular basis. He (and shockernet fans at times) has been critical of other Valley teams. He doesn't think much about N. Iowa because they aren't athletic enough for him (he said "they don't pass the eye test" this morning). He was also critical of Creighton because they lost a couple of games they shouldn't have because they couldn't shoot the 3 ball and he was critical of Evansville because Creighton shouldn't have lost to them. We've been hearing these things for years. N.Iowa had little respect the year they beat KU until they beat KU. Wichita State and Bradley had little respect the year they went to the Sweet 16 until they beat Tennessee and KU.

Think of all the quality wins in the Valley this year which so many seem to forget. UNI beat Iowa State, Iowa, and Colorado State. Drake beat Iowa State and Iowa (Drake is a quality team except with Simon out). Creighton beat SDSU. ISUb beat Vandy. MSU beat Creighton WSU beat UNLV, and Colorad, and took Temple to overtime. I may be leaving a couple of high quality wins out but you get the point. Additionally, there are solid wins for several teams in the Valley against Tulsa and UAB who's RPI's are moving up. The only bad quality teams in my opinion in the Valley are Bradley, SIU, and maybe Drake now that Simon's out (although with him they were pretty). Besides these few "bad" MVC teams, our Valley teams are as good or better than most in the Pac 12, and some middle and lower BCS conference teams.

My frustration is that we shouldn't have to defend our MVC teams to people like Lutz (and even some here on Shockernet) who should know better. Good teams don't always have great athletes. They often have good coaches, players who can shoot, players who play excellent physical defense, and players who play hard and tough. This describes the MVC to a tee and a lot of our middle programs can play with most teams BCS or non.

It isn't that we on shockernet don't know how good Valley teams are, it is that we aren't sure if the selection committee will show us any respect. Now Lutz is another story all together. He has probably seen UNI play one game and decides they don't pass his eye test. He is just a cranky old man that likes to ruffle feathers.

We all get very nervous if we are any where close to the bubble, because that usually means in the end, the committee chooses the overrated BcS schools over teams like WSU.