bench
November 23rd, 2008, 09:36 PM
"They got how many?" redux: Five is the magic number once again for the CAA, but don't expect as much weeping and gnashing of teeth as there was last year - the precedent was set a year ago, it's the nation's toughest conference from top to bottom, and too many teams with a shot to steal an invite screwed the pooch on the final weekend of the season.
The Dukes' starring turn as "The Hunted": With last year still fresh in their minds, the Dukes did everything they could to put themselves in a better position to advance to Chattanooga. They earned home-field advantage throughout, and they're going to need it - they have arguably the more difficult of the two halves of the bracket, along with all the pressures and expectations that come with being the favorite. Wofford was the worst draw of all the likely teams they could have faced, and it doesn't get any easier: 'Nova lurks in the second round, and one head of the three-headed Western monster of CP/Weber/Montana awaits in the semis.
The ever-fluid definition of Woofed gets a revision: It is now possible to be included in the playoffs and still get shafted. After beating App last year, winning the SoCon and getting sent to Montana anyway, this year the Terriers performed admirably save for one nightmare at The Rock, and get shipped to Harrisonburg to play the number one team in the country. JMU didn't get any favors themselves; their half of the bracket is a murderer's row. Cal Poly and Weber St. have their own gripe, as we'll discuss in a moment.
Four-score: For all intents and purposes, Appalachian isn't the second seed, but more like a 1-a. They were rewarded better than JMU was as the "official" 1-seed, that's for certain. There are no push-overs in their path, but their road is a bit easier. Will they be healthy enough to take advantage? They are in a much better position than they were a year ago as a seed with guaranteed home games, but as the injuries have piled up, home cookin' may not be enough to bring home Number Four.
I say "regionalization," you say "east-coast bias": And we'd both be right. Cal Poly and Weber St. would both have been seeds with wins on Saturday, and the consolation prize after tough losses is a match-up with each other in the first round. If you offered both teams a game with any other team anywhere in the country, how long would it take them to purchase their airline tickets? Five minutes, tops? Also, consider that there will be one and only one western team in the semifinals.
The Dukes' starring turn as "The Hunted": With last year still fresh in their minds, the Dukes did everything they could to put themselves in a better position to advance to Chattanooga. They earned home-field advantage throughout, and they're going to need it - they have arguably the more difficult of the two halves of the bracket, along with all the pressures and expectations that come with being the favorite. Wofford was the worst draw of all the likely teams they could have faced, and it doesn't get any easier: 'Nova lurks in the second round, and one head of the three-headed Western monster of CP/Weber/Montana awaits in the semis.
The ever-fluid definition of Woofed gets a revision: It is now possible to be included in the playoffs and still get shafted. After beating App last year, winning the SoCon and getting sent to Montana anyway, this year the Terriers performed admirably save for one nightmare at The Rock, and get shipped to Harrisonburg to play the number one team in the country. JMU didn't get any favors themselves; their half of the bracket is a murderer's row. Cal Poly and Weber St. have their own gripe, as we'll discuss in a moment.
Four-score: For all intents and purposes, Appalachian isn't the second seed, but more like a 1-a. They were rewarded better than JMU was as the "official" 1-seed, that's for certain. There are no push-overs in their path, but their road is a bit easier. Will they be healthy enough to take advantage? They are in a much better position than they were a year ago as a seed with guaranteed home games, but as the injuries have piled up, home cookin' may not be enough to bring home Number Four.
I say "regionalization," you say "east-coast bias": And we'd both be right. Cal Poly and Weber St. would both have been seeds with wins on Saturday, and the consolation prize after tough losses is a match-up with each other in the first round. If you offered both teams a game with any other team anywhere in the country, how long would it take them to purchase their airline tickets? Five minutes, tops? Also, consider that there will be one and only one western team in the semifinals.