Washington Post Article

[Jennifer]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A429-2002Mar21.html

I tried to copy and paste part of this, but it won't let me? So pardon my typing.

The committee quite obviously stacked the brackets in order to let someone else have a shot at the Final Four. Who hasn't had a turn? You've played with that ball long enough. It is time to give it to someone else That kind of thinking permeates the women's brackets.

I hate it that now IF we do get a team in the Final 4, we'll have to put up with garbage such as this from the media and others.

The committee gave 7 teams from the Big 12 slots in the tournament, despite the fact that no Big 12 team has ever won an NCAA title (Texas and Texas Tech did so as part of the SWC). Moreover, the committee gave a top see to Vanderbilt, a team with 6 losses, while denying the deserving Pac 10 regular season champion Stanford, a team with two losses, and SEC regular season champion Tennessee, a team with four losses.

Yes, the Big 12 was given 7 slots because they earned them. Interesting that she only mentions the fact that they got slots, and doesn't mention home seeds (though I imagine that might have been her intention?).
What's it matter that they haven't won an NCAA title, in regards to this years seeding?

Next, tbe committee decides that it would be cute or fun to group teams from the same regions in the same brackets. The result is an All-Big 12 regional semifinal in the West between Oklahoma and Texas Tech, who've already played twice this year. And there could be an all-SEC regional final in the Midwest between Vandy and Tennessee who have also played twice.

Well, this point has already been discussed. I don't think it's that big of a deal, and it doesn't seem like the coaches to either. It still take 4 wins to get to San Antonio, and 2 more to be the Champions, no matter who you play.

I really think these parts of her article suck! and if I was a better writer, would consider sending her an email. Maybe some of you out there will feel the same way. http://hoopscoop.net/ubb/smile.gif


[This message has been edited by Jennifer (edited 03-22-2002).]

[Bark]

Jennifer, you write very well

"...parts of her article suck!"

...what's wrong with that. http://hoopscoop.net/ubb/smile.gif

[Jennifer]

Gee, thanks Bark. YOu make me feel so much better! http://hoopscoop.net/ubb/smile.gif

[Bball Girl]

Note: Sally Jenkins co-authored one if not both of Pat Summitt's books. Could she therefore be showing bias toward Tenn and the SEC?

Geez..we screwed things up by getting 7 teams in the NCAAs. Shame on us...

The men's tourney is also "stacked" we have a PAC-10 vs. Big 12 tournament going on (so far the Big 12 is ahead) but we can end up with an all Big 12 regional in the West and in the Midwest.

She does say...

Mainly, the officiating is so bad, so inconsistent and so easily swayed that the term "home cooking" applies.

The good news is that the women's game is of such high quality lately that not even bad officials, a foolish committee, or wrongheaded coaches can affect it for long. The Sweet 16 will be an eminently worthy event, full of great teams and great ballplayers worth watching, even with these things corseting it.

And someday, hopefully soon, it will be truly uninhibited.

[Bevo]

Seems to me that Sally Jenkins is the one setting the women's game back by reheating that plate of stale, left-wing, feminist, racist mush.

[sooner64]

She contradicts herself here,

"Then there is the NCAA women's selection committee, which behaved as if it still wears poodle skirts and plum brandy nail polish. The committee quite obviously has stacked the tournament brackets in order to let someone else have a crack at the Final Four. Who hasn't had a turn? You've played with that ball long enough. It's time to give it to someone else. That kind of thinking permeates the women's brackets.

The committee gave seven teams from the Big 12 slots in the tournament, despite the fact that no Big 12 team has ever won an NCAA title (Texas and Texas Tech won titles when they were members of the old Southwest Conference). "

So, because no Big 12 teams have won a NC, the committee should've held it against us? Am I the only one that doesn't understand her reasoning? Sounds like a Pac 10 backer that is jealous of the Big 12's success.



------------------
http://graphics.fansonly.com/photos/schools/okla/galleries/okla-big12whoops-celebration/trophy-pres-3-lg.jpg

[swok34]

I agree, sooner.....that didn't make sense to me, either.

The way I've heard folks talk on different message boards, IF a Big XII team does make it to the final four, it was because the committee gave us every break imaginable to get there.......

[mred]

Originally posted by sooner64:
So, because no Big 12 teams have won a NC, the committee should've held it against us?

{sarcasm}Don't you realize that NCAA seeding should take into account how well your team has played in past seasons? KSU deserved no better than a 9 seed!{/sarcasm}

[Bball Girl]

Let them say what they want about the Big 12 conference. Actually they stacked the deck so we could all beat each other up again. Geez I was hoping for another Texas vs. Baylor duel too.

I think it also really bugs them that the Big 12 coaches clearly support each others programs...perhaps in ways that other conferences don't. Maybe I'm looking through rose colored glasses...but it seems like our coaches are closer and "prouder" of each other's successes that any conference I've been part of.
Our coaches relish the success of the Big 12 work very hard to up the level of competition within the conference and to take pleasure in knocking each other around.

They also praise each other more than any coaches I've ever heard.

I'm sure that happens some too with other conferences, but having worked in two SEC schools, I didn't get that same sense of closeness.

They are just jealous...

[KSUron]

I am confident that the way some "fans" think, if Texas beats Duke, Colorado beats Stanford and Kansas State beats Uconn and Vandy/Tenn and OU wins the National Championship it wont be because the Big 12 is great. OU will only have won because it was "handed to them". Don't fret about what these people think. (if they think at all) Let them worry about what you think. You represent the best conference in the land.