2014-15 Schedule

[im4wsu]

Kung Wu, don’t confuse the great overall seasons the past 2 years with the number of quality teams on the schedule. Those are two separate issues. Nobody is complaining about the results as a whole each of the past 2 years, just the ho-hum nature of many of the opponents and a desire to get to see some really good Shocker teams face off against some high level competition.

When Bill Gates gets a splinter, I doubt he gets depressed and thinks his life is terrible. I bet he still knows he is living a very privileged, comfortable life. That said, I bet he simultaneously thinks “this splinter sucks, I wish I could get rid of it”.

That’s all I’m really saying. WSU basketball is doing great… about as good as ever in fact. At the same time, the top of the schedule is a bit of a downer to me. I wish it could be better. I see other programs with more high quality opponents on a regular basis and I get jealous. I’m a geek who posts this opinion on a message board. The strange thing is, other geeks call me an ass for explaining my feelings… feelings which, to be honest, I bet they share at times.

I'd surely bet your house on that, but not mine.

[Kung Wu]

Kung Wu, don’t confuse the great overall seasons the past 2 years with the number of quality teams on the schedule. Those are two separate issues. Nobody is complaining about the results as a whole each of the past 2 years, just the ho-hum nature of many of the opponents and a desire to get to see some really good Shocker teams face off against some high level competition.

Trust me, I'm not confused. The cool factor of our schedule IS EXACTLY correlated to how well we are performing. Because based on the incestual BCS conference scheduling phenomenon, we have to earn the right to play good teams primarily in post season play and in early season tournaments. If we were losing our early season tournaments and buttering out against the Cal Poly's in the NCAAs we would not have the schedules we have had the past two years. For example we would have not been able to play BYU, Iowa, Pitt, Gonzaga, Ohio State, Louisville, or Kentucky; if we had lost the match prior to each of those games. It's _only_ our success allowing us to have marquee match ups on our schedule. And that's the way the incestual scheduling practices of the marquee schools want it.

[Jamar Howard 4 President]

Trust me, I'm not confused. The cool factor of our schedule IS EXACTLY correlated to how well we are performing. Because based on the incestual BCS conference scheduling phenomenon, we have to earn the right to play good teams primarily in post season play and in early season tournaments. If we were losing our early season tournaments and buttering out against the Cal Poly's in the NCAAs we would not have the schedules we have had the past two years. For example we have not been able to play BYU, Iowa, Pitt, Gonzaga, Ohio State, Louisville, or Kentucky; if we had lost the match prior to each of those games. It's _only_ our success allowing us to have marquee match ups on our schedule. And that's the way the incestual scheduling practices of the marquee schools want it.

Reality sucks. I’m not arguing that what you described isn’t the way it works. I’m just wishing for better and disappointed that the much hyped schedule for next year doesn’t appear to be much stronger than past years at the top. Maybe I'm just impatient, but the past 4 years have been amazing and it doesn't look like the top of the schedule is improving all that much any time soon.

[MadaboutWu]

I think SLU, Alabama, Memphis, and Utah plus the Hawaii tournament is actually a very strong schedule--we'll very likely be top 25 maybe even top 15-20 in OOC SOS provided we stay in the winner's bracket in Hawaii. Hard to want more than that though I agree having a game with a bigger name other than Memphis would help. One more good team to round out the schedule and it is excellent like Aargh said.

[Jamar Howard 4 President]

I'd surely bet your house on that, but not mine.

I’m curious what part of the following that you disagree with:

WSU is doing great.
The last 4 seasons, especially the past 2, have been a blast.
WSU doesn’t play all that many games against top level competition.
I wish WSU played more quality opponents. More top 25 or top 50 opponents would be fun.

[Cdizzle]

Utah and Memphis are significant schedule upgrades. For someone that focuses a lot on numbers, you're paying an awful lot of attention to names on jersey.

[im4wsu]

I’m curious what part of the following that you disagree with:

WSU is doing great.
The last 4 seasons, especially the past 2, have been a blast.
WSU doesn’t play all that many games against top level competition.
I wish WSU played more quality opponents. More top 25 or top 50 opponents would be fun.

If you are limiting your assumption about agreement to only these items, then some may agree with you

[Jamar Howard 4 President]

If you are limiting your assumption about agreement to only these items, then some may agree with you

Those are the items being discussed on this thread, are they not? I never said everyone agrees with me all the time. I just don't see why there is so much disagreement (to the point of calling me an ass) about what I'm posting in this thread.

[FlyingWheat]

Utah and Memphis are significant schedule upgrades. For someone that focuses a lot on numbers, you're paying an awful lot of attention to names on jersey.

We also lose Tenn. It is as much about numbers and RPI, but this is one case where name on jerseys does matter. It helps get you on SC, public interest, interest from recruits and has a whole host of secondary benefits.

Wasn't our OOC SOS in the 40s last year? Would really like to see us improve that as long as we're in the Valley.

[ShockerFever]

Utah and Memphis are significant schedule upgrades. For someone that focuses a lot on numbers, you're paying an awful lot of attention to names on jersey.

Yep. Typical BCS ideology.

What a turd.

[Jamar Howard 4 President]

Utah and Memphis are significant schedule upgrades. For someone that focuses a lot on numbers, you're paying an awful lot of attention to names on jersey.

I'm not talking names at all right now, and even if I was, would it be a fault to desire, as a fan, to get to play some big names?

Take a look at the following numbers from last year based on 2013-2014 Schedules up to Selection Sunday and looking at teams in the top 100 of the RPI:

# of Games Played Against Top 50 RPI Opponents:
19 – 1 Team
17 – 1 Team
16 – 1 Team
15 – 3 Teams
14 – 7 Teams
13 – 5 Teams
12 – 9 Teams
11 – 11 Teams
10 – 10 Teams
9 – 12 Teams (median)
8 – 2 Teams
7 – 3 Teams
6 – 5 Teams
5 – 3 Teams
4 – 6 Teams
3 – 6 Teams (WSU is here)
2 – 10 Teams
1 – 4 Teams
0 – 1 Team

79 of the teams in the RPI top 100 last year played more top 50 opponents than did WSU.
70 of the teams in the RPI top 100 last year played twice as many top 50 opponents as did WSU.
53 of the teams in the RPI top 100 last year played triple as many top 50 opponents as did WSU.

Next year might be better. I'm just saying that looking at the schedule, there is a decent chance that WSU gets stuck with a really low number (2, 3, 4) once again. I'm just expressing a wish that WSU could get a schedule similar to what the average top 100 RPI team gets. It would be fun. Why is this even controversial?

[Cdizzle]

but this is one case where name on jerseys does matter. It helps get you on SC, public interest, interest from recruits and has a whole host of secondary benefits.

We are the name on the jersey. We lived on SC and in the public interest with last year's schedule. I'm all for an amazing schedule, but I think it looks like this year's schedule will be at least another small step forward (we aren't done scheduling yet).

[Shockeriffic]

I'm sure we all wish that WSU played more guaranteed top 25 teams. Since the blue-bloods want nothing to do with us we have to try to schedule teams we think can be top 25 or top 50 caliber teams. Alabama and Tennessee were both dominated by underclassmen and were popular sleeper picks to make it into the top 25. We know how that turned out.

Also, the name on the front of the jersey plays a role in how teams are perceived. Look at the way BYU and Texas were treated by the media and fans. There wasn't that much of a gap in quality between those teams. This year's schedule looks better but it might not end up that way. SLU lost 5 senior starters and now Jim Crews has to win with his own players. Alabama was poised for a breakout the past 3 years and it hasn't happened yet. Memphis started 3 seniors. All three probably won't under perform but all three probably won't be viewed as quality wins either.

[Dan]

I’m just wishing for better and disappointed that the much hyped schedule for next year doesn’t appear to be much stronger than past years at the top.

You know what they say "wish in one hand and **** in the other". I am confident that we have a staff doing the best they can to get games that will help us achieve our highest goals.

[Aargh]

I'm sure we all wish that WSU played more guaranteed top 25 teams. Since the blue-bloods want nothing to do with us we have to try to schedule teams we think can be top 25 or top 50 caliber teams. Alabama and Tennessee were both dominated by underclassmen and were popular sleeper picks to make it into the top 25. We know how that turned out.

Also, the name on the front of the jersey plays a role in how teams are perceived. Look at the way BYU and Texas were treated by the media and fans. There wasn't that much of a gap in quality between those teams. This year's schedule looks better but it might not end up that way. SLU lost 5 senior starters and now Jim Crews has to win with his own players. Alabama was poised for a breakout the past 3 years and it hasn't happened yet. Memphis started 3 seniors. All three probably won't under perform but all three probably won't be viewed as quality wins either.

Then we're just going to have to lose those games to get some of those quality losses other teams keep getting.