Bracketbusters Questioned by MVC Coaches

[TylerDurden]

On Cuonzo's radio show last night, he said that he thought the Valley needed to get out of the Bracket Busters as he believes it causes more harm than good. He said that as long as CUSA, A10, and the MWC don't participate than neither should the MVC. He said teams from the Valley have won more games in it than any other conference and where has it actually gotten them in the last 3 years? Thought it was time to move on and I completely agree with him.

Ok, let's assume his position is correct and that it causes more harm than good (it is certainly a good thing for his team's resume this year, but I digress).

What are the alternatives?

Would he replace that game with a top 50 opponent or a 200+ opponent? Would they also have an opportunity for a national TV game and all-day coverage on ESPN?

That's the question.

The numbers say it's more likely to be close to 200+. Until that changes, the BB is a better option than the alternative for the top teams -- whether they admit it or not.

Again, I see some issues with the current BB, but it isn't nearly as bad as some folks like to think it is.

The issue I have is with timing and I think that is why the coaches dislike it as well. Give MSU a game with Valpo every December and I think both teams are very content. Stop the conference season right before the one game that will determine a conference championship and the response from coaches and fans alike will be quite different.

I think that's one of the legitimate concerns. It's one of the trade-offs for the ESPN coverage.

[Drakey]

All the Bracket buster does is to lower the image of the Valley. i thought the goal was to raise the image. The conferences who refused to participate have now all passed us in the RPI.

[TNMSUFAN]

All the Bracket buster does is to lower the image of the Valley. i thought the goal was to raise the image. The conferences who refused to participate have now all passed us in the RPI.

This...time to move on and Zo's point is valid considering we have been a 1 bid league the last few years yet have more wins than any other conference in this thing. It is so watered down now that it is stupid calling it BracketBusters.

[MSUDuo]

On Cuonzo's radio show last night, he said that he thought the Valley needed to get out of the Bracket Busters as he believes it causes more harm than good. He said that as long as CUSA, A10, and the MWC don't participate than neither should the MVC. He said teams from the Valley have won more games in it than any other conference and where has it actually gotten them in the last 3 years? Thought it was time to move on and I completely agree with him.

Would he replace that game with a top 50 opponent or a 200+ opponent? Would they also have an opportunity for a national TV game and all-day coverage on ESPN?

I'll agree that opponent would be closer to a 200 RPI than a 50 RPI but Missouri State could have up to 11 games on national/regional* TV this year outside of the Valpo game. I think you would be hard pressed to find more than maybe a dozen non-BCS teams that could say the same.

*Not sure how far Fox Sports Midwest actually goes

[UNI]

The problem is...does WSU get in if there isn't a bracketbuster this year? What if WSU finished the regular season with a 23-5 record, mid 40's RPI, and their best win against a sliding UNI???? I know that I probably wouldn't put them in.

A win against VCU (even though they deserve to play GMU) will boost their resume. It will give them a top 60 win, over a possible tournament team. The bracketbuster WILL help them.

It will help WSU just liked it has helped UNI (Siena, ODU, Bucknell, even a loss at Nevada). It will help how it has helped all the top teams in the Valley...it gives them a shot to play in front of a national audience (ESPN or ESPN 2) right before Selection Sunday (the most important time of the year...a win over VCU in December doesn't mean as much to the voters as it does now)...and a chance for a quality win.

[MSUDuo]

The problem is...does WSU get in if there isn't a bracketbuster this year? What if WSU finished the regular season with a 23-5 record, mid 40's RPI, and their best win against a sliding UNI???? I know that I probably wouldn't put them in.

A win against VCU (even though they deserve to play GMU) will boost their resume. It will give them a top 60 win, over a possible tournament team. The bracketbuster WILL help them.

It will help WSU just liked it has helped UNI (Siena, ODU, Bucknell, even a loss at Nevada). It will help how it has helped all the top teams in the Valley...it gives them a shot to play in front of a national audience (ESPN or ESPN 2) right before Selection Sunday (the most important time of the year...a win over VCU in December doesn't mean as much to the voters as it does now)...and a chance for a quality win.

The only at-large candidate is MSU if they win until Sunday in STL.

[Heinro]

No doubt about it. Get out of this thing.

Even though we obviously don't deserve 2 teams it only hurts our teams. Wins wouldn't have made our resumes, losses have killed them.

[Jet915]

Oh how far the Valley has fallen since 2006.

[PeKaph]

It's official: Doug Elgin must go.

[DawgFan]

I haven't liked it ever and SIU was one of the few MVC teams that it helped in 2003.

Elgin doesn't need to go, but this event sure needs to go for the MVC. Or at worst, put a couple of teams that need home games in the event each year. This whole league can't afford nights like these.

Not when the Mountain West and Gonzaga and CUSA and the A10 don't play in it.

GET OUT OF THE BUStdDD!