Running 2010 NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament thread

And so my annoyance begins anew.

The AP is calling Butler the first mid-major to make the Final Four since George Mason.

Last time I checked, Conference USA and Memphis are mid-major.

 

Nope. Best definition is here:
http://www.midmajority.com/redline.php

 

OK, I'm as happy for Butler as anybody, and think they are a deserving Final Four team, but the idea that Butler plays defense and NBA teams don't is almost too ludicrous for words.

 

According to the NCAA record books, Memphis did not reach the 2008 Final Four.

 

When it comes to budget and resources, they have a significant advantage.

 

My definition of a mid-major is the same as Potter Stewart's of obscenity: "I know it when I see it."

Butler? Yes. George Mason? Yes.

Memphis? No. Xavier? No. BYU? No.

Gonzaga? Hmmmmm ...

 

Using that standard, I'd consider Gonzaga a major before Xavier. because they've had more consistent national presence. Butler might get to that point if they keep on the path they're on.

 

I think K-State's going to be scary good. They lose Clemente, but essentially that's it. That's a void, but a senior Pullen, combined with guards Magruder and Irving, along with a seasoned front court of Wally Judge, Curtis Kelly, Jamar Samuels and Dominic Sutton? I'm liking 'em. Also, the graduation of Luis Colon is addition by subtraction.

 

And an idle trivia question: Say Kansas State had won. Would they have been the first time in the 64/65-team era to have advanced to the final four without playing anyone from the Big 6 conferences? I think they might have.

 

Happy to. You can look these numbers up, too.
http://ope.ed.gov/athletics/GetOneInstitutionData.aspx

Butler's overall athletic budget was $11.2 million. Men's basketball was $1.7 million.

BYU - $3.2 mil for MBB, $35.6 overall
Colorado State - $2.1 MBB, $21.6 overall
Utah - $2.5 mil for MBB, $30.9 overall
UTEP - $3.2 mil for MBB, $22.9 overall.

CSU and Utah are closer in hoops, but all four have at least $10 million more available in their overall athletic budgets than Butler.