I hope so. But they'll probably draw NC State. EDIT: Even Dicky V is having a heart attack right now. He's almost in tears.
God Dickie V, Florida State didn't get invited, I'm pretty sure it's not the end of college basketball.
He just looked content, didn't he? At least Seth Davis stepped it up for the mid-majors. Did Billy actually bully the selection committee into this with his rant last year? Did they not want to go through that again this time? Even subconsciously? I hope that wasn't it.
A group of us here were just talking about K-State. No love at all despite beating Tech, USC, Texas, plus 11-7 vs. Big 12 teams (w/ tourney). I hope they win the NIT.
I don't think the mid-majors got as hosed as people here think. Drexel got burned, and you could make a case for Missouri State, but there's no obvious HOLY SHIT WHAT WAS THE SELECTION COMMITTEE THINKING omissions. And if Xavier/Nevada/Butler won their conferences, I'm guessing Drexel gets in for sure, Missouri State possibly. It's not as though they're making Southern Illinois and Butler stay home for Clemson and Ole Miss.
The funny thing is, I'm sure the producer is saying "Alright Dick, we're gonna need more emotion than that" through his earpiece.
These ESPN guys make me laugh. So far they've argued for about five teams that got left out: Air Force, Drexel, Syracuse, Kansas State, Florida State. Let 'em all in!
It was really the worst of both worlds this year. Billy got his way, and he even tossed a compliment or two the mid-majors way (such as Albany). so he can come off as embraceful of the mid-majors, in a year in which there were half as many mid-major at-large bids awarded as three years ago. Fuck him. Repeatedly. With a rusty saw.
Don't ever forget, the NCAA is government of, by, and for Midwesterners. The Purdue and Illinois teams I saw this season had no business making the field. Arkansas would lose to Fla. St 3 of every 4 games they played. Honestly didn't see enough of Syracuse to judge. I know Drexel got hosed but good.
The only smart thing Vitale has said - since the Tennessee radio call-in debacle - is that Arkansas has no business being in the tourney after winning just seven league games in the shitty SEC division. Syracuse won 10 league games in a better conference. I would have gone Missouri St. over Xavier.
I think it's pretty obvious that with some of the parity out there, they decided that they would take a certain amount of teams from each BCS conference. Five-to-six, I think. Hence, Stanford over Syracuse. Hence, Michigan State, Illinois and Purdue. Hence Arkansas. Thereby making Walters' contention that "We evaluate every team as an independent" the most transparent bullshit lie of the week.