2016 Bracketology

[_kai_]

In 2013, why did WSU get Gonzaga instead of KU as their 1 seed?

So there would be one less power mid major in that field?

[OregonShocker]

Talk of KU insisting that WSU be placed somewhere because it is what KU wants is conspiracy stuff that I just don't believe in. I don't think the committee members representing UNC-Ashville, conference USA, etc are bowing down to what KU wants, even if KU tried to meddle with the seeding, which I don't think they do. I don't think KU has any real power to say where other teams get set in the bracket.

Making a good matchup like WSU vs KU might, maybe, possibly happen on occasion because those games bring ratings and interest. I do think that often, people underestimate the pure coincidental match ups that come merely from trying to keep teams playing in regions close to home.

Look at all the match ups that could happen but don't:
In 2014, why not have 1&2 WSU&KU in the same region?
In 2013, why did WSU get Gonzaga instead of KU as their 1 seed?
In 2006, why not shift the seeds just a hair and set up a 6vs3 for WSUvsKU?

Every committee is different. Hard to say what you'll get from year to year, but more often than not, I think committee conspiracy theories are just silly.

I agree that some, including myself at times, overestimate KU's influence/power, but I have to believe the conspiracy theory that we were seeded last year and placed where we were to facilitate a KU/WSU matchup in Omaha. In addition,.....LOOK! A UFO! ;-)

[Shocker1976]

@Jamar Howard 4 President did say they may be influenced on occasion due to interesting matchups that draw ratings. However, do you believe they did this matchup because KU or WSU wanted it?

IMO this matchup was done because the basketball viewing audience wanted it and the NCAA believed the KU is superior rhetoric that is commonly sold by the KU. the blue bloods and other P5 schools.

Now everyone (including the NCAA Seeding committee) is aware of the fact that Shocker teams coached by HC3G are for real. Schedule them at your peril, especially in this years March Madness Tournament.

[Kel Varnsen]

IMO this matchup was done because the basketball viewing audience wanted it and the NCAA believed the KU is superior rhetoric that is commonly sold by the KU. the blue bloods and other P5 schools.

Viewing audience POV: Agreed
"KU is superior rhetoric" POV: Absolute poppycock

So when they don't put us in the same bracket, they want KU to avoid playing WSU because they're afraid, but when they put us in the same pod for a potential second round matchup, they want to prove that KU is superior? Can't have it both ways. When we as fans view things with an "either way there's a conspiracy against WSU" it's called an inferiority complex.

This was done for geography and ratings.

[Jamar Howard 4 President]

So there would be one less power mid major in that field?

So many possible conspiracies. It is almost like a random bracket would still have "OBVIOUS" conspiracies in it.

The year that the bracket comes out and there are zero interesting matchups... that will be the year I know the committee was up to something, as the odds of nothing interesting falling into place are very low.

[Kel Varnsen]

So many threads end up with me and Jamar arguing a point of view to half of SN.

[WUpigsooie]

So many possible conspiracies. It is almost like a random bracket would still have "OBVIOUS" conspiracies in it.

The year that the bracket comes out and there are zero interesting matchups... that will be the year I know the committee was up to something, as the odds of nothing interesting falling into place are very low.

So many threads end up with me and Jamar arguing a point of view to half of SN.

I'm with JH4P on this one. Every 64 team bracket you could put together will have some instances where it looks like an "agenda" won out. At the end of the day they really try to make a fair bracket while keeping as many teams close to home as possible.

[ShockdaWorld]

The only time I've ever believed the "committee conspiracy" theory was the undefeated season when we were put in the bracket than many analysts (paid analysts) have said was one of the most difficult in the history of the 64 team field. Otherwise, as far as seeding, I think there is some P5 bias, based on them being front an center all the time,but I don't think that's a conspiracy, just a bias that we are slowly breaking through.

[Shocker1976]

Viewing audience POV: Agreed
"KU is superior rhetoric" POV: Absolute poppycock

So when they don't put us in the same bracket, they want KU to avoid playing WSU because they're afraid, but when they put us in the same pod for a potential second round matchup, they want to prove that KU is superior? Can't have it both ways. When we as fans view things with an "either way there's a conspiracy against WSU" it's called an inferiority complex.

This was done for geography and ratings.

I apologize if my writing skills proved insufficient for your reading skills. What I was trying to communicate -

1. As you confirmed, very likely the NCAA scheduled the potential KU vs WSU matchup due to their correctly perceived large viewing audience that wanted to see the game played on the court.

2. The NCAA Seeding Committee believed they were not placing KU at risk of a loss to the Shockers, as the Committee believed the aforementioned "poppycock" promoted by the Beakers, blue bloods and P5 schools.

IMO I was not trying "...to have it both ways"; rather I was attempting to explain that the external influence of a large television viewing audience influenced the committee to establish a bracket that the Beakers did not want.

Hopefully my writing skills used in this post are adequate for your reading skills.

[Shocker1976]

So many threads end up with me and Jamar arguing a point of view to half of SN.

An interesting observation by you; can you not draw what for many is the obvious conclusion?

[Shocker1976]

The only time I've ever believed the "committee conspiracy" theory was the undefeated season when we were put in the bracket than many analysts (paid analysts) have said was one of the most difficult in the history of the 64 team field. Otherwise, as far as seeding, I think there is some P5 bias, based on them being front an center all the time,but I don't think that's a conspiracy, just a bias that we are slowly breaking through.

IMO you are correct; no conspiracy but an obvious bias that IMO is dictated by the greed of P5 Conferences, the NCAA and television networks.

[Jamar Howard 4 President]

@Shocker1976:, so then, why didn't the committee match up WSU and KU sooner, such as 2006, 2013, or 2014? What was different about 2015?

[SHOCKvalue]

I apologize if my writing skills proved insufficient for your reading skills.

I can read too, at least as far as I can tell - and I mostly despise KU - but even I think saying the NCAA setup that bracket last year because they wanted to prove KU was superior is a lot far-fetched. I do believe it was intentional at some level, but not because someone in the NCAA selection committee wanted to prove some sort of KU-related point.

[Shocker1976]

@Shocker1976, so then, why didn't the committee match up WSU and KU sooner, such as 2006, 2013, or 2014? What was different about 2015?

IMO an easy and obvious answer - the demand by the larger viewing audience was not present.

As the larger basketball audience became aware of KU's avoidance of playing the Shockers (trumpeted loudly and routinely by analysts on television, the internet and newspapers) the NCAA Committee made the game possible.

[Shocker1976]

I can read too, at least as far as I can tell - and I mostly despise KU - but even I think saying the NCAA setup that bracket last year because they wanted to prove KU was superior is a lot far-fetched. I do believe it was intentional at some level, but not because someone in the NCAA selection committee wanted to prove some sort of KU-related point.

The Committee IMO was not trying "...to prove KU was superior"; my point is the Committee did not think they would be putting KU at risk by establishing such a second round match-up for the mighty Beakers.

Edit - further explanation can be had by googling Bill Self's comments prior and post the game. Self clearly did not believe the Shockers warranted a 9 seed.