NCAA Softball Selection -- Does the committee love the B1G?

[bbg95]

Very unorthodox double play for Missouri to end the inning. James Madison takes a 7-2 lead into the bottom of the seventh. 

[bbg95]

May 30, 2021 13:27:00 GMT -5 trojansc said:

May 30, 2021 13:26:22 GMT -5 @dc said:

Understand your guys opinion. But I love no replay!

In volleyball too?

I'm in favor of replay in all sports, but I think it's especially important in lower-scoring sports like hockey, soccer and baseball/softball. Blown calls in basketball and volleyball can be quite impactful too, but there are more opportunities to score in those sports to make it up. Though in the case of the NBA, it's hard for me to really comment on that recently, as I have not watched a single NBA game since the 2016 Finals. I still watch college basketball. At high levels of hockey, soccer or baseball, it is not uncommon for a single goal or run to decide a low-scoring game, so it's essential that replay corrects any missed calls.

[trojansc]

Not just impressed by Mizzou's record crowd this weekend.. but that has been one ROWDY James Madison crowd too.. fun to see.

[Deleted]

May 30, 2021 13:27:00 GMT -5 trojansc said:

May 30, 2021 13:26:22 GMT -5 @dc said:

Understand your guys opinion. But I love no replay!

In volleyball too?

I am not a proponent of eliminating it in volleyball.

I hate it in baseball, although MLB is pretty much unwatchable for me currently. Hockey I like replay to see if the puck went in the net, and to limit dangerous plays, to establish major penalties.

But I get bummed how replay stops the game, and the decision often doesn’t come out right anyway.

I love how softball games chug right along and there is a minimum of whining and arguing

[bbg95]

There it is. James Madison advances to its first College World Series in its history. They're a fun team to watch.

[c4ndlelight]

The SEC had 5 of the Top 8 seeds, but is only advancing 2 teams to the WCWS (both advancers played super regionals against other SEC teams). PAC had 1 Top 8, is advancing 2, Big XII is 2 for 2, Colonial has its Cinderella through in JMU. Remember, in the past two tournaments, only 1 Top 8 seed hasn't made the WCWS.

A horrific underperformance especially in light of the overseeding and deference given to the SEC by the Committee.

[bbg95]

May 30, 2021 13:39:47 GMT -5 c4ndlelight said:

The SEC had 5 of the Top 8 seeds, but is only advancing 2 teams to the WCWS (both advancers played super regionals against other SEC teams). PAC had 1 Top 8, is advancing 2, Big XII is 2 for 2, Colonial has its Cinderella through in JMU. Remember, in the past two tournaments, only 1 Top 8 seed hasn't made the WCWS.

A horrific underperformance especially in light of the overseeding and deference given to the SEC by the Committee.

Eh, all five of those top eight seeds advanced to the super regional, two lost to other SEC teams, one lost to FSU, and the other one lost to a James Madison team that isn't really a "Cinderella," as they've been to two other super regionals since 2016. I think you're overstating the case a bit. Is it a bit of an underperformance? Sure. It is a "horrific" underperformance along the lines of the Big 10 in the men's basketball tournament? Nah.

[trojansc]

May 30, 2021 13:50:16 GMT -5 bbg95 said:

May 30, 2021 13:39:47 GMT -5 c4ndlelight said:

The SEC had 5 of the Top 8 seeds, but is only advancing 2 teams to the WCWS (both advancers played super regionals against other SEC teams). PAC had 1 Top 8, is advancing 2, Big XII is 2 for 2, Colonial has its Cinderella through in JMU. Remember, in the past two tournaments, only 1 Top 8 seed hasn't made the WCWS.

A horrific underperformance especially in light of the overseeding and deference given to the SEC by the Committee.

Eh, all five of those top eight seeds advanced to the super regional, two lost to other SEC teams, one lost to FSU, and the other one lost to a James Madison team that isn't really a "Cinderella," as they've been to two other super regionals since 2016. I think you're overstating the case a bit.

I'm actually in the middle. Well, first, the Big 2 isn't 2 for 2. Oklahoma State/Texas also gifted a Super Regional spot. The SEC lost a regional seed at home, the ACC lost a seeded team (though on the road) and the PAC-12 lost a seeded team at home too and was fortunate for it's #2 overall to get by Virginia Tech. I'm still in awe of Faraimo's performance. I think Virginia Tech is a great team though - so that's no knock re: PAC. Like ASU, Tennessee also faced very very good teams in their regional, so less of a knock on them and a lot of respect for Liberty, JMU, and already mentioned VTech. 

I still think the SEC's tournament performance WAS pretty bad though. That doesn't mean necessarily they were overseeded, even though I think they were in a couple instances. We already discussed Kentucky, but I had LSU lower AND Florida State higher, so glad that kind of worked out anyways.

The question re: seeding is how much value do we put into the RPI. Like I mentioned before, it mostly worked out. So you have to either take it with a grain of salt and distribute bids/seeds more throughout conferences, or you accept what it tells you and use that re: non-conference, significant wins, etc.

So, the west coast DID lose most of their good usual non-conference opportunities. Zero doubt it was practically impossible to get something comparable to having the Mexico tournaments, Mary Nutter, *legit* Judi Garman tournament, etc. The Big Ten, obviously, was not going to get any favors from RPI. Should that be ignored, when the rest of it seems to 'make sense?' I can at least entertain the argument that the SEC's RPI strength for tournament resume's should have been treated lesser for those reasons, though I'm not sure I agree with it. Even with that said, as mentioned above, Kentucky and LSU still may have been propped up when they didn't need it. No way James Madison is a 3-seed in a regional IF we discount RPI's value either.

Now, here's another factor in my SEC underperformed opinion: The Arkansas and Mizzou regional rounds were JOKES. If James Madison gets sent to Arkansas and Liberty gets sent to Mizzou, it's very possible that JMU, Liberty, and Tennessee are all in the Super Regionals. This isn't excusing Tennessee losing at home, rather, but Arky/Mizzou were gifted paths to the Super Regionals, and then they lost there (at home) to lesser teams.

[bbg95]

May 30, 2021 14:10:11 GMT -5 trojansc said:

May 30, 2021 13:50:16 GMT -5 bbg95 said:

Eh, all five of those top eight seeds advanced to the super regional, two lost to other SEC teams, one lost to FSU, and the other one lost to a James Madison team that isn't really a "Cinderella," as they've been to two other super regionals since 2016. I think you're overstating the case a bit.

I'm actually in the middle. Well, first, the Big 2 isn't 2 for 2. Oklahoma State/Texas also gifted a Super Regional spot. The SEC lost a regional seed at home, the ACC lost a seeded team (though on the road) and the PAC-12 lost a seeded team at home too and was fortunate for it's #2 overall to get by Virginia Tech. I'm still in awe of Faraimo's performance. I think Virginia Tech is a great team though - so that's no knock re: PAC. Like ASU, Tennessee also faced very very good teams in their regional, so less of a knock on them and a lot of respect for Liberty, JMU, and already mentioned VTech. 

I still think the SEC's tournament performance WAS pretty bad though. That doesn't mean necessarily they were overseeded, even though I think they were in a couple instances. We already discussed Kentucky, but I had LSU lower AND Florida State higher, so glad that kind of worked out anyways.

The question re: seeding is how much value do we put into the RPI. Like I mentioned before, it mostly worked out. So you have to either take it with a grain of salt and distribute bids/seeds more throughout conferences, or you accept what it tells you and use that re: non-conference, significant wins, etc.

So, the west coast DID lose most of their good usual non-conference opportunities. Zero doubt it was practically impossible to get something comparable to having the Mexico tournaments, Mary Nutter, *legit* Judi Garman tournament, etc. The Big Ten, obviously, was not going to get any favors from RPI. Should that be ignored, when the rest of it seems to 'make sense?' I can at least entertain the argument that the SEC's RPI strength for tournament resume's should have been treated lesser for those reasons, though I'm not sure I agree with it. Even with that said, as mentioned above, Kentucky and LSU still may have been propped up when they didn't need it. No way James Madison is a 3-seed in a regional IF we discount RPI's value either.

Now, here's another factor in my SEC underperformed opinion: The Arkansas and Mizzou regional rounds were JOKES. If James Madison gets sent to Arkansas and Liberty gets sent to Mizzou, it's very possible that JMU, Liberty, and Tennessee are all in the Super Regionals. This isn't excusing Tennessee losing at home, rather, but Arky/Mizzou were gifted paths to the Super Regionals, and then they lost there (at home) to lesser teams.

Sure, I amended my comment to say that I think it's a mild underperformance, but it's not a disaster along the lines of the Big 10 in this year's men's basketball tournament. Like the SEC still had seven of the 16 teams in the super regionals, easy regionals or not.

[trojansc]

James Madison though.. talk about a path. Beat two top-10 seeded teams on their home fields in a path to the WCWS.

What's their reward? Playing the #1 overall seed in (practically) their backyard.

[bbg95]

May 30, 2021 14:25:27 GMT -5 trojansc said:

James Madison though.. talk about a path. Beat two top-10 seeded teams on their home fields in a path to the WCWS.

What's their reward? Playing the #1 overall seed in (practically) their backyard.

Better to get Oklahoma in the WCWS than in the super regional or regional. This is already the best season in James Madison's history.

[trojansc]

May 30, 2021 14:28:06 GMT -5 bbg95 said:

May 30, 2021 14:25:27 GMT -5 trojansc said:

James Madison though.. talk about a path. Beat two top-10 seeded teams on their home fields in a path to the WCWS.

What's their reward? Playing the #1 overall seed in (practically) their backyard.

Better to get Oklahoma in the WCWS than in the super regional or regional. This is already the best season in James Madison's history.

But this is why I hate the 'two separate bracket' and only a crossover in Winner's Bracket Friday thing from the WCWS. JMU will be stuck with Oklahoma unless the winner loses the Winner's Bracket match on Friday.

[trojansc]

Texas' catcher waves at Oklahoma State's runner she guns down at 2nd base, but the next runner bunts a single and scores a run for Oklahoma State and waves back at her. Ooooh. Juicy.

[bbg95]

Oklahoma State is the final team to advance with a 2-0 win.

[bbg95]

May 30, 2021 14:31:43 GMT -5 trojansc said:

May 30, 2021 14:28:06 GMT -5 bbg95 said:

Better to get Oklahoma in the WCWS than in the super regional or regional. This is already the best season in James Madison's history.

But this is why I hate the 'two separate bracket' and only a crossover in Winner's Bracket Friday thing from the WCWS. JMU will be stuck with Oklahoma unless the winner loses the Winner's Bracket match on Friday.

Well, I'm not sure about the WCWS format itself, but I think James Madison already got a favorable draw for an unseeded team.