I'll agree with most everything you said. Just want to get two things off my chest:

(1) Maryland should never have been considered for this year's tourney. They have a grand total of 16 wins! And they were under .500 in conference. No way in hell they should EVER get in (though ND had a good argument).

(2) (Clap)...(Clap)...(Clap)...(Clap)...(Clap) ...(Clap)...(Clap)...(Clap)...U...(Clap)(Clap) (Clap)... C...(Clap)(Clap)(Clap)...LLLLLLLL (Clap)(Clap)(Clap) .... A ... (Clap)(Clap)(Clap)(Clap) .... U-C-L-A, FIGHT, FIGHT, FIGHT!!!!
(err...sorry. I feel better now.)
Antilles | Email | Homepage | 03.17.05 - 9:19 am | #

My F4:

Duke, Wake, OKSt, UConn
Soup | Email | Homepage | 03.17.05 - 9:53 am | #

My four:

OkSt, Wake, UNC, Ok.

Great post.
Wadsworth | Email | Homepage | 03.17.05 - 10:30 am | #

I hate the squeaking sound that basketball player's shoes make on the court.
THL | Email | Homepage | 03.17.05 - 11:15 am | #

joe lunardi has some shitty hair.
Mr. Poon | Email | Homepage | 03.17.05 - 11:16 am | #

Sure. That loss to Holy Cross in the NIT is a good place to start in assessing ND. And losing to Rutgers really give Notre Dame a good argument. Also, that RPI of #92. Krikey. Are you listening to yourself? As a Maryland fan, I was hoping they wouldn't make it in -- too much inconsistency the last couple of years and it felt like time to punish them. Still, it's tough to argue that a team that beat Duke (handily) twice, Georgia Tech, and nearly pulled off a win against UNC barely a week ago isn't one of the 64 best teams in the country. They are. Like every other week.

Nice post, BTW. Especially for a Dookie.
Spencer | Email | Homepage | 03.17.05 - 11:20 am | #

All I was trying to say about Notre Dame was that they at least had some quality wins to hang their hat on, which is more than one can say for UAB. And then I said, "But if you go that route, then you have to argue for Maryland," which also had some big wins but too many bad losses. I think both ND and Md. were correctly left out, because we're not talking about the best 64 teams overall, we're talking about the 34 best at-large teams. I don't think they're a part of that cohort. Plus, the Committee clearly likes hot teams, and both of these finished badly.

However, I won't argue based on RPI, because it was all screwy this year with the re-weighing. And I'm reluctant to assess a team's NCAA prospects based on how it does in the NIT. The two aren't comparable, especially for major conference teams disappointed at being left out. You might as well argue that Maryland deserved a bid because they won in the NIT.
Milbarge | Email | Homepage | 03.17.05 - 11:44 am | #

CBS rules -- you know why? The whole tourney in HDTV this year!!!

Also, GW got hosed.
Scott | Email | Homepage | 03.17.05 - 11:46 am | #

For the record, ND shouldn't have gotten in either... but at least they had a argument.

And it isn't about the best 64 teams in country - I have no doubt the Terps should be included if that were the case. But you can't go 16-12, 1-5 to finish the year (with the sole win against UVa - last in the conference), and get knocked out in the first round of your conference tourney and expect to get in.
Antilles | Email | Homepage | 03.17.05 - 11:58 am | #

great post. i agree with you about Duke.
TP | Email | Homepage | 03.17.05 - 12:32 pm | #