U of M thread (in the Lions Forum) :)

[chemiclord]

I guess to finally answer Wingfan's question;

Would I rather have a champion who had an otherwise mediocre record, but got hot at the right time and beat a series of the top teams in the nation to win the title over a system where a bunch of voters and computers subjectively decided who the two best teams were to play one game and everyone else can go to hell?

Yes. Yes I would. A playoff system isn't perfect, but it's a hell of a lot better than the BS.

Whoops, I forgot a letter in there. Oh well, it actually describes the system a lot better that way, actually.

[The Oracle]

Funny how he brings up NHL too as the best sport. It's probably THEE case study of a sport of if you get in the playoffs you have a chance to win it. Probably the least important regular season in all of sports.

[Whitley]

Funny how he brings up NHL too as the best sport. It's probably THEE case study of a sport of if you get in the playoffs you have a chance to win it. Probably the least important regular season in all of sports.

Yep and playoff hockey is very very good.

[Tony G]

Although at 16-28 games it can run a little long. When you have problems with the ice in places like Detroit in the final series it's time to rethink the scheduling or come up with a synthetic surface equal to ice. (which would never be cost effective)

[gjdodger]

It's also the major sport where home advantage seems to mean the least. I still go back to a few years ago, in the first round, when all four of the lower seeded teams in the East advanced. That would be unthinkable in the NBA.

[nhwbrooklyn]

Team chemistry is a bigger factor than individual talent in hockey.

Any team that gets in that gets hot at the right time can win it in hockey.

[chemiclord]

Or, more accurately, has a goaltender who gets hot at the right time.

[nhwbrooklyn]

Even that has a lot to do with the types of shots the team defense is giving up. But yeah that is another factor that lends itself to making the hockey playoffs likely the most open field in pro sports.

[Kstat]

A #8 seed! And we're playing here in Charlotte!!!!!!

[gjdodger]

And everybody in the country will be rooting for them, because they're up against that asswipe Pearl.

[Kstat]

I love how both Duke and North Carolina get to play in the charlotte regional.

The good news is, if we beat Tennessee, half the stadium will be there just to root against Duke.

[Deuce]

The 8th seed is a terrible seed. Especially when the 9 seed is Tennessee, and extremely athletic bunch. I'd much rather be a 10 or 11 than a 8. You get a marginally tougher first rd opponent, but usually a much easier 2nd rd mathcup.

[Kstat]

worry about your 1st round opponent first. Tennessee is the best possible matchup for Michigan. They play the same style as Clemson, and we generally own Clemson.

As #1 seeds go, Duke is the easiest. And, being in Charlotte, half the stadium will be there simply to root against them.

[*JD*]

I don't know about that, K-Stat but I hope you are right that it won't be a tremendous home court advantage for dook.

You should go to the games.


FUCK DOOOOOK!

[gjdodger]

The ESPN guys really lighting out on the committee, says there are flat out bad picks, specifically UAB and VCU. I actually saw UAB beat Arkansas in overtime here in Little Rock; it was kind of funny--they kept setting up these backdoor layups, must have gotten six or seven of them. They played a very disciplined game.

I wondered what the hell Smith and Barkley were doing on the CBS show; they aren't associated with college at all. Then Barkley said Arizona was a good team, and added, "I don't want to live there, but they've got a good team." CBS apology coming in 3...2...