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Post by volleyfan24 on Aug 15, 2014 14:59:14 GMT -5
Last year it was clearly the Big Ten.
This is a two conference conversation. PAC-12 or Big Ten?
I feel like with the addition of Maryland and Rutgers it brings the overall competition in the Big Ten down. Also the league champ may have a few losses. I don't know if anyone is that dominant to run through the conference without a loss.
The PAC-12 is more top heavy though. The top three in the league I believe are ready to make a serious run at the National Championship. I think the middle teams in the PAC-12 are much improved.
My pick is the PAC-12 will be the better conference this year.
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Post by baywatcher on Aug 15, 2014 15:21:56 GMT -5
I'm a Pac 12 homer but still have to give the Big 10 the nod. It is of interest that Colorado and Utah could float through the conference and in, I believe, their third year both make the tourney. I doubt either Maryland or Rutgers will do that. But even if PSU/Nebraska/Wisconsin = SC/Stanford/UW (and many of those teams will play this year, very exciting!)you have to think Illinois/Purdue/Michigan State/Minnesota/Michigan/Ohio State are significantly better than ASU/Oregon/Cal/Colorado/UCLA/Arizona. I do.
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Post by akbar on Aug 15, 2014 15:38:05 GMT -5
.....remains to be seen.
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Post by c4ndlelight on Aug 15, 2014 15:40:10 GMT -5
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Post by baywatcher on Aug 15, 2014 15:54:14 GMT -5
Now if we're talking about benefits with friends.......
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Post by BeachbytheBay on Aug 15, 2014 19:55:55 GMT -5
the Big West
not sure what the definition of 'best' is - it's a subjective term after all
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Post by ay2013 on Aug 15, 2014 22:26:15 GMT -5
I'm a Pac 12 homer but still have to give the Big 10 the nod. It is of interest that Colorado and Utah could float through the conference and in, I believe, their third year both make the tourney. I doubt either Maryland or Rutgers will do that. But even if PSU/Nebraska/Wisconsin = SC/Stanford/UW (and many of those teams will play this year, very exciting!)you have to think Illinois/Purdue/Michigan State/Minnesota/Michigan/Ohio State are significantly better than ASU/Oregon/Cal/Colorado/UCLA/Arizona. I do. I wouldn't say that those teams on the whole are significantly better than the Pac-12 counterparts. Perhaps if they all did a round robin on a neutral site I'd say the Big 10 would have a 55%-60% winning percentage. We are also going to get some solid matchups in the middle of each conference in the preseason so that should be fun. I also think that the bottom of each conferences should come into play. Teams like WSU and Utah are not slouches. If they played in the Big 10, I could easily see them finishing above Rutgers, Maryland, Indiana, Iowa, and perhaps even Northwestern now that Holthus is gone.
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Post by pogoball on Aug 15, 2014 22:26:53 GMT -5
I'm a B1G fan, but probably the Pac 12 this year. Fairly significant graduation losses throughout the B1G conference. Neb, Ill, Wis & Pur probably about as good or better, but PSU, Minny, OSU & UM probably a little down compared to last year. MSU probably about the same.
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Post by ay2013 on Aug 15, 2014 22:34:19 GMT -5
I'm a B1G fan, but probably the Pac 12 this year. Fairly significant graduation losses throughout the B1G conference. Neb, Ill, Wis & Pur probably about as good or better, but PSU, Minny, OSU & UM probably a little down compared to last year. MSU probably about the same. How do you figure Nebraska, who lost it's 5+ points per set, POY candidate, with nobody on the team good enough to replace her experience and talent, is going to be as good or better this year? Granted they only have to be better than the teams this year, but I have hard time seeing a Nebraska team without Kelsey Robinson being better than a Nebraska team with Kelsey Robinson.
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Post by dorothymantooth on Aug 15, 2014 23:03:38 GMT -5
I'm a B1G fan, but probably the Pac 12 this year. Fairly significant graduation losses throughout the B1G conference. Neb, Ill, Wis & Pur probably about as good or better, but PSU, Minny, OSU & UM probably a little down compared to last year. MSU probably about the same. How do you figure Nebraska, who lost it's 5+ points per set, POY candidate, with nobody on the team good enough to replace her experience and talent, is going to be as good or better this year? Granted they only have to be better than the teams this year, but I have hard time seeing a Nebraska team without Kelsey Robinson being better than a Nebraska team with Kelsey Robinson. Well Kadie Rolfzen was a way better hs player than Robo, was a way better freshman than Robo, and overall is a better athlete than Robo. It isn't outrageous to suggest Kadie could play at that level. Now the experience/maturity part is a big issue. Let's take a look at a scenario in which they could be as good or better which isn't a stretch at all. 1. Three great freshman Kadie, Amber, Justine, are all better as sophomores than they were as freshman which is what in most cases happens. Second, two middles who are really athletic but with limited playing experience contribute where they didn't a year ago. Third, A setter who didn't set the middle or RS that well improves after the incredible amount of energy they invested this spring in summer to make that happen. If 5 players who started with little or not experience improve and a setter improves in an important area, they cant be as good? Time will tell of course, but I certainly see a scenario where that could happen. Of the top teams this team may have the most room to improve given how inexperienced they were last year.
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Post by ay2013 on Aug 16, 2014 0:19:14 GMT -5
How do you figure Nebraska, who lost it's 5+ points per set, POY candidate, with nobody on the team good enough to replace her experience and talent, is going to be as good or better this year? Granted they only have to be better than the teams this year, but I have hard time seeing a Nebraska team without Kelsey Robinson being better than a Nebraska team with Kelsey Robinson. Well Kadie Rolfzen was a way better hs player than Robo, was a way better freshman than Robo, and overall is a better athlete than Robo. It isn't outrageous to suggest Kadie could play at that level. Now the experience/maturity part is a big issue. Let's take a look at a scenario in which they could be as good or better which isn't a stretch at all. 1. Three great freshman Kadie, Amber, Justine, are all better as sophomores than they were as freshman which is what in most cases happens. Second, two middles who are really athletic but with limited playing experience contribute where they didn't a year ago. Third, A setter who didn't set the middle or RS that well improves after the incredible amount of energy they invested this spring in summer to make that happen. If 5 players who started with little or not experience improve and a setter improves in an important area, they cant be as good? Time will tell of course, but I certainly see a scenario where that could happen. Of the top teams this team may have the most room to improve given how inexperienced they were last year. Well firstly, Kadie herself contributed about 4 points per set, she would need to avoid a potential sophomore slump and, at the very least equal her freshmen performance JUST to say Nebraska is "as good". She's only going to take so many more swings...she's not the answer to replacing Kelsey's production because even if Kadie could do all the things Robinson did for them last year (She's more than likely NOT going to pass, defend, and hit as well as Robinson). Maybe she gets a point more per set, but even then thats still 4 more points (at a +.300 hitting percentage) to make up as a team. I agree it has to come from the middle and the RS, but THAT much is dependent largely on the passing and the setting this year. Nebraska didn't necessarily underset the RS and the middle (sure it could have been more, but it wasn't nonexistent...it was 50% of the touches), it's just that those players weren't as efficient with their swings (with Amber coming in at under .200, and the middles barely hitting a combined .300). Will the passing sans Robinson be steady enough to run the middle and the RS to high efficiency? We shall see. Robinson also produced a lot of backcourt defense that Kadie simply did not do. Matches of the top caliber are generally won by the production of the LS hitters. Robinson was a steady, aggressive player who produced....I just don't see 2014 Nebraska being BETTER than 2013 Nebraska.
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Post by bucky415 on Aug 16, 2014 1:02:21 GMT -5
I think the Pac 12 is stronger than the B1G at the top and bottom of the leagues (although I would love Wisconsin to prove me wrong there), but the B1G may be better in the middle, although I think it will be down overall from last year. It is an interesting year because most of the national contenders lost key contributors to graduation and there really doesn't seem to be a favorite. As far as an evaluation, I think a lot will hinge on which conference can get more of its teams in the middle hosting the first two rounds, which was a clear advantage for the B1G last year.
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Post by ay2013 on Aug 16, 2014 1:17:16 GMT -5
I think the Pac 12 is stronger than the B1G at the top and bottom of the leagues (although I would love Wisconsin to prove me wrong there), but the B1G may be better in the middle, although I think it will be down overall from last year. It is an interesting year because most of the national contenders lost key contributors to graduation and there really doesn't seem to be a favorite. As far as an evaluation, I think a lot will hinge on which conference can get more of its teams in the middle hosting the first two rounds, which was a clear advantage for the B1G last year. Bingo. The big 10 was better last year, surely, but the bracket surely favored the conference to advance more than any other team. Would Minny have survived that match with Colorado had the match been played anywhere but Minneapolis? probably not. Illinois' fate for losing almost half of its matches throughout the season? a seed, a subregional host, and Marquette in the second round (rolls eyes). Could a team like Oregon or ASU have advanced to the sweet 16 and potentially further if they got to play @ Kentucky or @ Duke instead of against BYU in the first round or @ Nebraska? probably.
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Post by jsn112 on Aug 16, 2014 2:35:44 GMT -5
I think the Pac 12 is stronger than the B1G at the top and bottom of the leagues (although I would love Wisconsin to prove me wrong there), but the B1G may be better in the middle, although I think it will be down overall from last year. It is an interesting year because most of the national contenders lost key contributors to graduation and there really doesn't seem to be a favorite. As far as an evaluation, I think a lot will hinge on which conference can get more of its teams in the middle hosting the first two rounds, which was a clear advantage for the B1G last year. Bingo. The big 10 was better last year, surely, but the bracket surely favored the conference to advance more than any other team. Would Minny have survived that match with Colorado had the match been played anywhere but Minneapolis? probably not. Illinois' fate for losing almost half of its matches throughout the season? a seed, a subregional host, and Marquette in the second round (rolls eyes). Could a team like Oregon or ASU have advanced to the sweet 16 and potentially further if they got to play @ Kentucky or @ Duke instead of against BYU in the first round or @ Nebraska? probably. For Oregon to advance further in the Kentucky region? Not likely (unless they play vs. Utah). They would have met either Penn State, Kentucky, or Michigan State (in which they lost 3-1 earlier). For ASU, would have lost vs. Penn State; lost vs. Michigan State (based on Illinois game earlier); lost vs. Utah; toss up vs. Kentucky. So, the only realistic chance for Oregon and ASU to win is vs. Utah/Kentucky in the Kentucky region. Therefore, I would only give them a maximum of 25% chance of advancing to Sweet 16. Would have had a better chance @ Duke.
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Post by Paulj on Aug 16, 2014 5:44:23 GMT -5
It will be two B1G teams vying for the NC...unless they do something crazy with the tourney pairings to encourage fandom over a greater geographic area.
In my humble (yet always correct) opinion, Pac-12 are just wannabees....be it volleyball (B1G owns) or football (SEC owns).
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