From: Hoopsbag

[Shox21]

From: Hoopsbag (ESPN.com)

"Stephen from Evansville, Ind., writes: Everyone always seems to get caught up on how many teams a conference gets into the NCAA tournament as a measure for the quality of the conference. What should the Missouri Valley expect as far as NCAA tournament teams and success year-in and year-out?

Brennan: In terms of resources and conference affiliation, it's a little unrealistic to expect the Missouri Valley to recreate its brilliant 2006 run, when the MVC got four NCAA tournament bids and saw two teams streak to Sweet 16 appearances. Like many other mid-majors, it's hard for teams in the MVC to put together strong overall résumés, because it's so hard to convince the big boys to play them. It ain't fair, but that's just life in the sub-high-major world.

I think the Valley would be pretty excited if it could consistently place three teams in the NCAA tournament every year. That means at least two or three programs are building the sort of long-term success that doesn't require a one-year flash in the MVC tourney to get in to the Big Dance. That could be the case this year, as both Wichita State and Creighton (and maybe even Northern Iowa) look like potential NCAA tournament teams. But it's a lot to expect from a conference like the Missouri Valley on a year-to-year basis."

http://espn.go.com/blog/collegebasketballnation/post/_/id/17168/hoopsbag-answering-our-mail

[kcshocker11]

3 teams would be great! He nailed it on the head about the big boys cowardice.

[ShockTalk]

3 teams would be great! He nailed it on the head about the big boys cowardice.

If you wish to call it that, it's not only just the big boys.

[wufan]

I think the Valley should average 2.25 teams in the NCAA tourney every year at the current level of the MVC. That could go up or down as the League dynamics change.

[60Shock]

3 teams would be great! He nailed it on the head about the big boys cowardice.

If you wish to call it that, it's not only just the big boys.

Right, for various, sundry, and mind boggling reasons, apparently even most of the "mid-major teams" don't like to play each other either, or certainly not teams they "might" get beat by.

Yeah, I've heard all the reasons about not wanting to play each other as they would then knock each other off. Which of course is the same reason the BCS schools don't like to play any non-BCS school that might knock them off. But if every blasted school thought this way, no one would play anyone they weren't forced to.

The only solution is for the Shocks to keep improving and winning, like we are. We have to get to the point (and we are getting close to it now)
whereby they won't be able to deny us. A good showing in the Maui tournament will do wonders.

[Zardoz]

I guess you can do what Gonzaga did and schedule all of those road games and no-return. Wait we tried that with KU for a made for ESPN game and they still wouldn't bite.

[ShockTalk]

I guess you can do what Gonzaga did and schedule all of those road games and no-return. Wait we tried that with KU for a made for ESPN game and they still wouldn't bite.

I assume you're just laying smack on the Beakers as I'm sure there are a number of quality BCS programs out there that will do one and dones with the Shocks. Even though this worked for Gonzaga, I don't like the idea of ever doing more than one, if that, per year.

It worked for the Zags for better reasons than just going on the road. A lot more times than not, they lost those games in the early 2000s. However, they always won the WCC tourney and so the "one and done" loses didn't hurt them (although those road games probably gave them very valuable experience). Next, they continually made runs in the NCAA tourney. This solidified their position and made them a basketball power. Basically, you still need to win the games. Whether it's upsetting BCS powers, winning your conference tourney, and/or not only making the dance regularly, but making runs in it regularly, too. That's how you'll demand respect.

[Zardoz]

Yeah, I'm just poking at the lurking KU fans with a pointed stick. The only way KU or KSU will ever play us is if the state legislature says do it or we cut off your funding. The fans would like to see it KU and KSU just don't have the stones to do it.

[Metalkatz]

Yeah, I'm just poking at the lurking KU fans with a pointed stick. The only way KU or KSU will ever play us is if the state legislature says do it or we cut off your funding. The fans would like to see it KU and KSU just don't have the stones to do it.

I wrote to the state, everyone else on here should too! and demand KU and KSU play WSU each and every year!

[wufan]

I wrote to the state and demanded they not "tuk er jobbs!"

[WstateU]

Yeah, I'm just poking at the lurking KU fans with a pointed stick. The only way KU or KSU will ever play us is if the state legislature says do it or we cut off your funding. The fans would like to see it KU and KSU just don't have the stones to do it.

I wrote to the state, everyone else on here should too! and demand KU and KSU play WSU each and every year!

Oh Lord, not this again! :whistle:

[WSUwatcher]

Oh well

Fear not, WstateU -- it's not like the folks in Topeka are doing anything terribly useful anyway. Might as well give them something to stay busy.

[SubGod22]

Re: Oh well

Fear not, WstateU -- it's not like the folks in Topeka are doing anything terribly useful anyway. Might as well give them something to stay busy.

Have stuff like this occupy their time so they have less time to screw up the important things? I like it!

[Aargh]

I've got it! This solves EVERYTHING!

If KU and KSU won't play us in basketball, then they have to give WSU enough money to finance a football team. Write your representatives, your senators, the governor. Let your voice be heard. Let's hear it for ...
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...Pay To Not Play

I figured this thread was already hopelessly lost, so I may as well set it up for the old ...