12/7/2011: IPFW

[vu72]

A couple of comments:  First, I love 'haze !!  He is one of the few Butler guys who actually look at the bigger picture.  Second, Playing at the D1 level means all teams start out thinking about dancing.  We can't operate on the theory that well, we may start out well but certainly something will happen, injury wise or other, that will kill our chances.  Premature perhaps, but, nonetheless, something that can continue to motivate or something deemed so far from reality that teams just mail it in.

Finally, as to the temp where Haze and I reside, I can assure you that it is "colder than a brass toilet in the Yukon", here this morning.  Oh to be southeast in Valpo!!   

[sectionee]

It was a balmy 19 degrees in Valpo this morning.

[milanmiracle]

At this time, for this season, at this stage...Lazerus is right. These games don't matter because they don't get you any closer to the NCAA tournament. In the end, getting to the NCAA's is all that matters. 20 wins? Nice, but big deal. Regular season champs? Yawn. The only reason the conference season matters is to get a better seed to the automatic qualifier, and...you guessed it...a better shot at the NCAA's.

The reality is, Valpo isn't getting an at large bid, and unless they managed to beat Ohio State or Arizona they weren't getting an at large bid anyway. Well, if they went undefeated the rest of the way they might but the likelyhood of that was nil.

Without saying it, Lazerus told us what many people already think...The NCAA tournament is the only thing that really matters in college basketball.

Intellectually I agree with you, but having that kind of attitude in sports IMHO is a killer.

I completely agree with you as well. As somebody looking on from the outside, we can think that way. The team however need to have a different approach. Every win matters...in a game, in practice, in the gym by yourself working on drills. No doubt about that. I hope the team goes into the Horizon League tournament feeling they're going to win every game, regardless of seeding. Everyone can be beaten and everyone can beat you!

That being said, from the outside we can look at it from a more realistic perspective

[FWalum]

At this time, for this season, at this stage...Lazerus is right. These games don't matter because they don't get you any closer to the NCAA tournament. In the end, getting to the NCAA's is all that matters. 20 wins? Nice, but big deal. Regular season champs? Yawn. The only reason the conference season matters is to get a better seed to the automatic qualifier, and...you guessed it...a better shot at the NCAA's.

The reality is, Valpo isn't getting an at large bid, and unless they managed to beat Ohio State or Arizona they weren't getting an at large bid anyway. Well, if they went undefeated the rest of the way they might but the likelyhood of that was nil.

Without saying it, Lazerus told us what many people already think...The NCAA tournament is the only thing that really matters in college basketball.

Intellectually I agree with you, but having that kind of attitude in sports IMHO is a killer.

I completely agree with you as well. As somebody looking on from the outside, we can think that way. The team however need to have a different approach. Every win matters...in a game, in practice, in the gym by yourself working on drills. No doubt about that. I hope the team goes into the Horizon League tournament feeling they're going to win every game, regardless of seeding. Everyone can be beaten and everyone can beat you!

That being said, from the outside we can look at it from a more realistic perspective

I understand your perspective.  I guess I have too much time on the bench and need to make myself look at things from outside of the huddle.

[zvillehaze]

A couple of comments:  First, I love 'haze !!  He is one of the few Butler guys who actually look at the bigger picture.

Thanks '72 ... love you too, and good luck in kicking the crap out of the big "c".  I may have disagreed with your opinions in the past, but have always respected your love and support of your school.  I love and support my school, but growing up as a Lutheran near Valpo, will always have a soft spot for the Crusaders.

[valporun]

I had a feeling something about this IPFW loss was going to come along and bite us in the butt later. IPFW played the lowly Chicago St. Cougars of the Great West Conference of Misfit Basketball Programs, and LOST, 63-57. IPFW allowed Chicago St. to win their 3rd game of the season tonight. Originally, we all thought when the Summit League would start to beat itself up, we'd get hurt by the three SL losses, but when a Summit team loses to a Great West team, which is like the Mid-Con of Geographical Problems, hence the title I gave it above, we pay the price harshly in RPI. I do like playing IPFW, as it can be a good attendance draw for both teams' alumnae bases, but when it comes to the RPI, and needing to play some different teams next year, I hope either we play IPFW, and have all of our puzzle pieces for next year's lineup in place, or we don't play IPFW for a few years. This IPFW loss for us hurts more now.

[valpotx]

It's nice to see the Horizon has inched closer to the Summit in RPI with some of their recent losses.  This one will definitely allow the HL to pass them again in this area, and hopefully hold on for the home stretch!

[vusupporter]

I can't wait for the day when the majority of people realize that who you win or lose to, at best negligibly affects your RPI; that the thing that matters is the number of home/road wins/losses.  You could flip-flop the Milwaukee win and the IPFW loss and our RPI would be about the same.

[valporun]

When the NCAA decides to quit using RPI and SOS as the basis for at-large bids to the tournament, then people won't worry so much about how the wins and losses affect a computer-generated algorithm that puts bad teams and conferences in a better position than a mid-level team in a higher level conference, you will get everyone to stop bickering over details of wins and losses by opponents your team played. In the meantime, whatever postseason tournament we get into, whatever IPFW does, because we lost to them, is going to affect Valpo adversely.

[StlVUFan]

I can't wait for the day when the majority of people realize that who you win or lose to, at best negligibly affects your RPI; that the thing that matters is the number of home/road wins/losses.  You could flip-flop the Milwaukee win and the IPFW loss and our RPI would be about the same.

Neither one matters quite as much as who you *play*, and how well they do.

[agibson]

You could flip-flop the Milwaukee win and the IPFW loss and our RPI would be about the same.

It'd be _exactly_ the same.

Your schedule matters, and your opponents' schedules.  Your wins and losses (home and away count differently) matter.  And your opponents' wins and losses matter (though not home vs. away).  And your opponents' opponents' (though, again, not home vs. away).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ratings_Percentage_Index#Basketball_Formula

I suppose it might help mids (or at least hurt the BCS conferences) if the home vs. away differences was applied to the strength of schedule portion.  But, it would reduce the boost we get from playing a BCS team.

[sectionee]

Does it really matter for Valpo anyway?  The only way they are going to get in is by winning the HL tournament.  Maybe once they win a couple of league tournaments and an NCAA game maybe that changes.

[StlVUFan]

Does it really matter for Valpo anyway?  The only way they are going to get in is by winning the HL tournament.  Maybe once they win a couple of league tournaments and an NCAA game maybe that changes.

It matters *if* we get in -- it matters for what seed we get.  Does it matter *much*?  Maybe not

[valporun]

It can also be a factor on what postseason tourney we get an invite for, if we don't get the auto bid to the NCAAs.