As we get closer to Selection Sunday

[CatsTopPac]

So as the day nears, and we start (in earnest) theorizing about where teams will be seeded, and which teams get to dance, I think we need to refine our criteria. Because when it comes down to it, this is where RPI always falls short.

Most of us know that RPI is not the end-all-be-all to decide; otherwise, they would just go straight off of the rankings, and that would be it. From about the halfway point onward, it helps to give us all an idea as a marker of comparative analysis.

It will obviously change once the conference tourneys get underway, and I'm sure we'll be in a better position to make these predictions. I think most of us know that as of right now, there is still a lot of basketball, and we are all guessing.

I just think that we have a good enough sense of where teams are, that if we do begin to speculate where teams will be seeded, or if they make it, that we start to include more than just SOS and RPI, and begin to taper the "quality wins" argument. For instance (and again, it's fine to do throughout December, January, and into February), I think we really need to start only caring about the RPI 50+ range of games with respect to losses, not wins. This is where SOS gets mucked up, because (as was posted recently, and is generally known) one team could play better cupcakes and worse top teams, as opposed another team that could play better top teams and worse cupcakes. It's still a factor, but down the line in the argument, not at the beginning. Also, we should think about considering the weaknesses in matchups of teams. If someone is showing that they are weak against size, or zone, or perimeter shooting, these will matter to some extent, also.

I think we really need to focus on losses (when, where, against whom, by how much, and how the game went), and then wins against the top 50. We also need to realize though that the top 26-50 are not the same. The RPI #26 team on Selection Sunday will almost certainly make it, whereas the RPI #50 will almost certainly not make it. So just saying that a team has some RPI top 50 wins is getting to be more and more misleading.

Now, obviously there will still be changes as we go through the rest of the season. But if we are going on right now, then we really need to think about how we count those top 50 wins.

This is where looking at each individual team, and their best and worst games, is going to begin to need a deeper look than just SOS and RPI. Same goes for seeding. It doesn't mean that SOS and RPI aren't to be used, but we need to bring much more information in, if we are really interested in finding out which teams are more deserving.

Just a thought. I see where we are all having more and more discussions about teams, where they should be seeded, and who should make it or not. And I think it will need a deeper discussion to really hammer these things out. We know more about these teams, so we should use the information we have. Teams are starting to shape up into who they really are this year. Some will move (of course), but we are obviously already starting to ask the questions about what teams deserve, so I just want to put it out there that we should start bolstering our debates with more information.

It's going to be another great March, I can't wait.

 

[CatsTopPac]

Hahahahahaha:

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a6FUJULLNbk]Ace Ventura - Nobody Wants To Play With Me - YouTube[/ame]

 

[jonvi]

Doing mock drafts works for some people. I believe it is a self discipline where doing the drill requires people to think about many of the things in your OP.

I like to get into the pickem games...basically for the same reason...a forced way to research conferences and teams.

It also makes me look at a teams conference schedule a little closer. Conferences like the ACC that are too large to play every team home and away, often result in teams playing more of the upper or the lower half of the conference which skews the standings....IMO anyways.

Anyways, good thoughts. And good luck with your bracket.

 

[dcZONAfan]

Doing mock drafts works for some people. I believe it is a self discipline where doing the drill requires people to think about many of the things in your OP.

I like to get into the pickem games...basically for the same reason...a forced way to research conferences and teams.

It also makes me look at a teams conference schedule a little closer. Conferences like the ACC that are too large to play every team home and away, often result in teams playing more of the upper or the lower half of the conference which skews the standings....IMO anyways.

Anyways, good thoughts. And good luck with your bracket.

wow somebody actually read the OP? hahaha