#1 Hoops Seeds v. BCS Bowl Bids

[Willie Bee]

Wasn't sure where this discussion might fit, so one of the mods can feel free to shift it somewhere else as they see fit.

Got into a little chat last night with a friend who has long expressed his disdain for the BCS in college football. I admit it's not a perfect system while also admitting to being something of a sentimentalist with regards to the 'traditional bowl structure.'

We talked a little about Syracuse upsetting UConn yesterday, and I baited him a bit with the notion that I still think UConn deserves a #1 seed in the NCAA Tournament. He agreed hands down that UConn still deserved a top spot.

Then I reminded him that he was all over the Nebraska football team back in 2001 when they got crunched in their season finale at Colorado yet were given the #2 hole in the BCS. His claim, and many others then, was that if Nebraska wasn't even playing in their conference championship, how the heck could they rate a BCS bid? I threw that back at him last night: How can UConn get a #1 seed if they aren't playing in their conference championship?

I find some correlation between the two notions, and still think both Nebraska's gridironers in 2001 and UConn's hoops squad this year deserve what they got or are likely going to get. Anyone else agree or disagree?

This isn't a debate on the BCS, by the way. Just a question of whether or not you see any similarities to the two.

[presley177]

I'm really on the fence on this one. I personally don't see either instances being a watered down type of loss....so yeah..maybe saying UConn doesn't deserve the #1 seed..but then I think to myself and wonder still...what team would be more deserving?

[Winston Smith]

It's hard to compare the two for me. You play about three times as many games in basketball, so it's hard to magnify one loss to the level it is in NCAA football.

[Willie Bee]

Good point, Winston. Glad my buddy didn't think of that last night while we were engaged in 'passionate debate'

[The Great One]

Besides the fact there are more games in basketball, there are also 4 different slots to put UCONN #1. If you want to correlate it to the 2001 football season, it's pretty easy. Miami, Nebraska, Colorado, and Oregon were the 4 teams looking for 2 spots. In basketball, all 4 of those are on the top line in their brackets and no one is bitching at all as Miami clearly seperated themselves as the top overall seed if footbAll worked the same way basketball did.

Personally, Miami could have played an all-star team of Colorado, Oregon, and BNebeaska's best players and still would have won by 2 or 3 touchdowns. That team was loaded. Just off the top of my head, I'm thinking all of their starters on offense and defense were drafted in the NFL. More than 50% of them drafted in the 1st round. And even some back-ups were 1 st round picks( Sean Taylor, Kellen Winslow)

[The Great One]

Actually, just for the hell of it, lets look at all the draft picks of that team. Add where I miss because I'm sure I won't be able to name everyone.

QB: Dorsey: 7th round
RB: McGahee 1st round; Portis 2nd round
WR: Andre Johnson: 1st round, 3rd overall. Help on the 2nd receiver
OL: Bryany McKinnie: 1st round; Romberg, drafted somewhere; Gonzales; drafted somewhere because I know he's on the Colts. Help with the other 2.
Tight end: Shockey and Winslow: Both 1st round picks

Defense: Awesome defensive line that rotated like 7 lineman. Wilfork, McDougle, were for sure 1st round picks. Then, there was Orien Green, Matt Walters that were drafted. Need help on others. I know there was 1 more that was drafted in the 1st round I think.

LB's. Williams and Vilma were 1st round picks. Not sure who the other backer was. Maybe that is the 1 person that was not drafted from the starters.

Cornerbacks: Mike Rumph and Philliop Bucannon both drafted in the 1st 2 round I beleive of the 2002 draft. Neither has worked out well in the NFL.

Safety: Ed Reed: 1st round pick and NFL defensive player of the year in 2004. James Lewis was the other safety who was a 4th round draft pick of the Colts who did not make the team. Sean Taylor was a freshman on the 01 team, but was still eventually a 1st round pick.

That team should be looked at for sanctions to have that damn much talent. We are talking 1st round picks at ever level of offense and defense except for QB and Dorsey was still a greatcollege QB, but his game just didn't translate well to the NFL kinda like Craig Krenzl.