Screw It, I Love The New Big East Tournament

by Dr. Charley West on Mar 10, 2010 2:25 PM EST in Mountaineer Basketball

For most of my formative life, I have been a proponent of less teams making whatever playoffs or tournament is in question. My reasoning was that the regular season should be more important. When more than half of the NBA makes the playoffs, how much does the regular season really matter?

Like I said, that was a belief that I held up until recently, when the Big East Tournament went from 12 teams to allowing all members to participate, regardless of record. Usually, this is something that I would absolutely hate, and I was all set to hate the shit out of this new format. And I did, right up until I realized there was going to be Big East and Madison Square Garden basketball in the afternoon for three straight days. Then I got drunk.

Really, after yesterday's games and the first part of today, I am hopelessly in love with the new tournament format. I think the real reason is that I try to find any excuse to watch sports in the middle of the work day, but the good games so far this tournament certainly haven't hurt.

So, I may be smitten, but that doesn't mean you are; in the comments, give us your thoughts on the new(er) Big East format...

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I don't mind including everybody

but I have to agree with Huggs. Let the top four play the bottom four then get a bye. You bust your ass in the toughest league to get in the top four and have to play Louisville or Georgetown right off the bat when the 2nd four get easier games to start. That’s your reward? There has to be a better bracket set-up…how exactly it would look like, I’m not sure.

by WVUIE97 on Mar 10, 2010 2:34 PM EST reply actions

Never was a fan of the double bye

Let 1-16, 2-15, 3-14, 4-13 play the first day. Winners get a day off while the middle 8 play on day 2. Then highest seed plays lowest seed from there on out. The benefit for the top four seeds is you get to play the botom four right out of the gate and then get a day to rest.

"I like the taste of danger most of all." - Jonatha Brooke

by MtnEer_in_SC on Mar 10, 2010 3:21 PM EST reply actions

Yes, but you have to play an extra game.

That’s big news when it comes to the conference tournament and the NCAAs as a whole.

by Dr. Charley West on Mar 10, 2010 3:59 PM EST up reply actions

the sports writers and talk shows are beating this double-bye story into the ground. WVU’s goal all year was to earn the double bye, and then when they get it, everyone complains about it. Huggins told us we lost to Purdue because we played 4 games in 9 days, but now he would rather play 4 games in 5 days than 3 games in 3 days. If Stewart giving me the same kind of rhetoric, I would think he was making preemptive excuses for choking. I’ll give Huggins the benefit of the doubt and just assume he likes to complain about anything.

by The 25314 on Mar 10, 2010 4:24 PM EST reply actions

Just because I like to argue with you...

Didn’t Huggins say something about “they’ll have to do it if they want to play in the NBA, so they should be able to do it here”? I could be wrong, but I seem to remember something about that.

And, the difference would presumably be that in the tournament, everyone has to play at least that many games, whereas Purdue hadn’t just played against Marquette, Seton Hall, and Ole Miss in the past week.

by Country Roads on Mar 10, 2010 7:48 PM EST up reply actions

I liked the old format

when the bottom four teams were left out. Made the bottom of the bracket a lot more exciting, and the bye for the top four was all there was. no complaints then? likely not, and I agree with 25314, you can’t push to make the double bye, then complain once you get it.

by phucoffaholic on Mar 10, 2010 4:42 PM EST reply actions

And again, because I like to argue with anyone...

Is it possible to dislike the format, but realize that if you’re going to be playing in that format, you want the double bye? I don’t think he’s contradicting himself. And I also don’t think he’s making that big a deal out of it. But it’s not like he’s saying “well, I’d prefer we got the 5 seed here.”

by Country Roads on Mar 10, 2010 7:49 PM EST up reply actions