OFFICIAL 2011 NCAA TOURNAMENT THREAD

[HuskyFreeNorthwest]

The best four days in sports are here! I can barely contain the excitement. I've gotta get a work out in before all the madness starts, try and calm myself.

[DrumNFeather]

After sitting through what appeared to be a televised ward basketball scrimmage, I am NOT fine with SC or VCU being invited to the festivities.

Seriously, how people can watch these "First Four" games and then give any credence to expanding the field from 64 is way beyond me. very puzzling for someone to be in that camp (not saying you are, of course)

I tend to agree. It appeared that the committee didn't take the last four deserving teams for the 11-12 seed play-in games, but rather made them true play in games where teams who otherwise wouldn't get into the field had an opportunity to play their way in. I have to think that if they were just selecting the 64 best teams, we may have seen a different process (sans Clemson, I think they were in).

[Top Ute]

Can someone explain these play-in games, why they didn't make 8 16 seeds and force them to play in like they used to, and why they randomly selected 11 or 12 to be the play in games? And why is the first round now the second round? And if you're a 12 and you beat a 12, does that mean you have a tournament win under your belt and isn't that lame? We go 20 years without a tourney win and two 50th rated teams play each other and someone gets a tourney win out of it?

This has to be an issue controlled by TV, especially with the games being spread out over two days. Also, there's nothing to say that USC/VCU weren't essentially 12 seeds -- but were 11s for purposes of travel, television, etc. That's my guess anyway.

[Top Ute]

I tend to agree. It appeared that the committee didn't take the last four deserving teams for the 11-12 seed play-in games, but rather made them true play in games where teams who otherwise wouldn't get into the field had an opportunity to play their way in. I have to think that if they were just selecting the 64 best teams, we may have seen a different process (sans Clemson, I think they were in).

Actually, I think the First Four is a great idea, if only to show the absurdity of expanding the tournament in the first place.

[Flystripper]

Actually, I think the First Four is a great idea, if only to show the absurdity of expanding the tournament in the first place.

This

I can't imagine there are many people on the 96 team bandwagon anymore...and if there are then they didn't watch the last two days. So in an unintended consequences sort of way this first 4 was a good thing.

[DrumNFeather]

Actually, I think the First Four is a great idea, if only to show the absurdity of expanding the tournament in the first place.

I don't disagree with that...I just think that the committee chose a true play-in format this year with USC/VCU and Clemson/UAB and I don't think that any but one of those schools would've actually been one of the last four in, but perhaps I've interpreted it incorrectly.

[Color Me Badd Fan]

I don't disagree with that...I just think that the committee chose a true play-in format this year with USC/VCU and Clemson/UAB and I don't think that any but one of those schools would've actually been one of the last four in, but perhaps I've interpreted it incorrectly.

I'm surprised Bilas also wasn't destroying the committee for USC getting in, which I thought was almost as bad as VCU and UAB.

I think things would have gone better had it been Clemson, Harvard, Colorado and Saint Marys.

[DrumNFeather]

I'm surprised Bilas also wasn't destroying the committee for USC getting in, which I thought was almost as bad as VCU and UAB.

I think things would have gone better had it been Clemson, Harvard, Colorado and Saint Marys.

Yeah, it seems like they're going to go mid-major vs. high major, but you're right, there could've been better match ups. The truth is, if they want to get another middie in, put VCU vs. UAB and Clemson vs. USC. This year, that didn't matter, but that could be something I'd see them doing moving forward.

[TripletDaddy]

The stream is LIVE. :rockon1:

[LiveCoug]

I hardly picked any upsets this year in my bracket. I tend to go very heavy on the upsets and I always lose. Different strategy this year.

[TripletDaddy]

Clemson is pulling away

Come on WVA, dont bust my bracket!!!

[cougjunkie]

I think the NCAA put VCU and UAB in and left out bigger name teams like Va. Tech, COlorado, etc. because when they were looking to expand the tournament they had a ton of resistance. By snubbing the teams from the power conferences they may get a little more backing next time.

[UtahDan]

Clemson is pulling away

Come on WVA, dont bust my bracket!!!

I've got the Fighting Pittsnoggles losing this one. Did you have WVA going far?

[DrumNFeather]

I love watching Bob Huggins coach. He looks so pissed when his team does anything remotely bad. It's awesome.

[Safetydan]

Tied at halftime!