The NIT exists to make money, period. It always has been, and very very few remember who the NIT champions are.
@valpopal CBI and CIT tournament are going to replace the NIT here soon it seems. NIT is just turning into an experimental tournament and nothing worth competing in. They are now using the NIT to test potential rule changes. I also assume this has something to do with why power schools are being preferred as well. Get all the big whigs to test the new rules first and take their input over the MMs and LMs
My apologies in advance if this has been discussed, but another negative issue that piqued my interest are recent comments by SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey, questioning whether mid major conference tournament winners are worthy of automatic bids into the NCAA tournament.
SEC’s Sankey doesn’t envision P5-only NCAA Tournament, but ‘things continue to change’
“If Sankey doesn’t want to eradicate mid-major participation altogether, his interest in a larger field certainly isn’t about wanting more of them included. In fact, some in the sport fear that whatever play-in games exist in the future will only be those smaller schools fighting among themselves for spots in the traditional 64-team format.”
https://theathletic.com/5346558/2024/03/16/greg-sankey-ncaa-tournament-sec/
I see major changes coming down the pike, and most assuredly none are going benefit small players like us. BTW bb tournament shares are critical to the sustainability of mid major athletic conference operations.
@whvalpo Yeah, that got discussed, but Sankey has no right to speak when the SEC has been abysmal at basketball for many years prior. Maybe he is just tired of losing to a bunch of "low lives" 🤣 .
He also clearly understands nothing other than football. Claiming that the winning in basketball and baseball is purely random is absurd. I would agree to expand the current format to more teams but making it an exclusive club of only P6 teams would be detrimental to March Madness as a whole. His entire argument is filled with him doubling back on his own words, claiming that he "only had an idea", and that people who disagree are "not seeing the full picture" are just trying to save face for an idea that is so obviously rooted in ignorance.
I don't think that these P5 schools realize that the fun of the basketball tournament is because of the MM and LM upsets. If it is sectioned off for P5, a large amount of folks won't care anymore, including myself.
@valpotx Their ratings would most certainly take a drop. Why do you think the SEC commish had to make amends to his original statement?
I’ve thought for some time that the NIT needs to go to some first round locations prior to field being chosen. Think of this like the play in games at Dayton. Use places that have a history of supporting college basketball. Two games at several places - coordinates TV as well. The fact that a Power 5 school gets first round NIT game doesn’t necessarily fill the stadium.
Isaiah Stafford (possibly) out for the year.
With this news, I foresee another year of being projected bottom 4, another year of us making injury excuses, and another year of saying we saw “growth” from the young players in the absence of Stafford that might translate to next year. Just for a big piece to leave in the off-season and have to reload with young players that will have “growth” next season and ….
call me a cynic, but we are stuck in this loop and I don’t know if we’ll ever get out.
I thought Stafford a net neutral player. IOW just as likely to shoot the team out of a game as he is shoot them to victory. While he's experienced, even those who liked his game felt he'd have to change it to a degree to be successful and that can be difficult at this point.
It may be a loss with a strong emphasis on may but it shouldn't be the downer I can see being perceived by some.
As long as Isaiah can return full strength by mid season, then the team negatives from his absence might be outweighed by the extra experience for our multiple new guards.
Lets put it this way, he played as well as he did while struggling through pain. If he is able to return, we will see what stafford can do when he is at 100%
As long as Isaiah can return full strength by mid season, then the team negatives from his absence might be outweighed by the extra experience for our multiple new guards.
I was just going to post something similar. Last year when Stafford went out we went with Williamson or Weatherspoon, both true freshman.
Now we have guys with load of experience at the college level, like De La Cruz Monegro, Devon Ellis and Tyler Schmidt. All is not lost!
