MVC, CAA seen pointing and laughing at Billy Packer, Jim Nantz, CBS
With the Final Four coming up this weekend, I thought I’d pause to take stock of just how wrong the CBS crew was on Selection Sunday in projecting the results of this year’s tournament. The experts weren’t just “wrong”; they were a heckuva lot farther off the mark than the typical fan, I think.
The Packer-Nantz assault on Craig Littlepage
First, let’s revisit the much-publicized tag-team suplex that Billy Packer and Jim Nantz dropped on NCAA tournament chair Craig Littlepage. (Do you remember my love for Billy Packer? If not, refresh your memory!) Happily Cultured State has a full transcript of the encounter, allowing me to pick out some of juicier (and now even more ridiculous) items.
Jim Nantz: The Missouri Valley has had so much momentum all season long. So many stories written about them, they got four teams in; some thought they merited a fifth team. But, you look at it and the last three years, that conference has had six teams in the tournament and only one win. Meanwhile, the ACC gets the exact same number of teams this year; four in the field, and they’ve won 25 games the last three years. What do you say; you’re an ACC man, and I know you have to recuse yourself when the ACC comes up, but what do you say to the rest of the nation? Are they really as strong as the ACC and they merit just as many teams?
My answer:
- ACC teams in the Sweet 16: 2 (Boston College and Duke).
- ACC teams in the Elite 8: 0
- MVC teams in the Sweet 16: 2 (Bradley and Wichita St.)
- MVC teams in the Elite 8: 0
Looks pretty equal to me, Jim.
Billy Packer: The Colonial and the Missouri Valley got six bids. The Atlantic Coast and the Big 12 got eight bids. In sweet 16s in the last five years, those four conferences: the ACC and the Big 12, twenty-five sweet 16s, and the Colonial and Missouri valley, one. And victories in the NCAA Tournament: the ACC and Big 12, 97 wins, and the Colonial and Missouri valley had six. Somewhere along the line there has to be a gut check.
My answer:
- ACC and Big 12 teams in the Sweet 16: 3 (Boston College, Duke, and Texas).
- ACC and Big 12 teams in the Final Four: 0
- MVC and CAA teams in the Sweet 16: 3 (Bradley, George Mason, and Wichita St.)
- MVC and CAA teams in the Final Four: 1 (George Mason)
Oh, and keep in mind: the MVC and Colonial are winning upsets to get there!
Final Four predictions from Clark Kellogg and Seth Davis
How about a couple of 0-for’s? Clark’s predictions:
- Duke
- Memphis
- Connecticut
- Villanova
- Correct predictions: 0
Seth’s:
- Duke
- Gonzaga
- Connecticut
- Villanova
- Correct predictions: 0
Sleepers in a coma
To add insult to injury, almost none of the upsets picked by CBS’ “experts” panned out. Clark liked Texas A&M, Arkansas, Winthrop, and Nevada. Seth chose Iona, Pitt, Wichita St. and Georgetown. Jim Nantz, in all his college basketball wisdom, sang the praises of Michigan State (hello, George Mason!).
March 30th, 2006 at 8:33 am
This is supposed to pass for intelligent commentary? Why don’t you post which of the NCAA “experts” nailed 1 or more teams in the final four? Oh, because there aren’t any. Your bias against CBS is palpable. As far as Davis’ sleepers - you’ve exposed yourself as completely without credibility. Witchita State, a 7 seed, is picked by Davis to go deep in the tourney - they go to the Elite 8. Georgetown had a great run until just getting nipped by Florida. That would make 2 - and Pitt did at least win a game before getting picked off by Bradley - who had already knocked off #2 seed Kansas. Interesting how you leave out who YOU picked for the final four. I’ll bet my hairy ass that you got none as well - Mr. Brilliance.
March 30th, 2006 at 9:22 am
Hey Genius,
Pitt was a 5 seed — do you think winning their first game over a 12 qualifies them as a sleeper. Yeah? Nice try. They lost against Bradley, making them an anti-sleeper. Bradley was a lower seed than Kent St., Sherlock.
To be a sleeper, you’d better pull off at least one upset. 25% of Clark’s sleepers panned out. 50% of Seth’s did. Grrrreat track record there. But I don’t disdain them being wrong so much as not having the balls to pick anyone interesting for the Final Four. Clark Kellogg picking all four #1’s? Boring.
I don’t have a bias against CBS. I have a bias against crap.
March 30th, 2006 at 9:59 pm
ESPN’s online bracket tournement had several MILLION entries, and TWO guys actually have picked the exact final four. Congrats to Russel Pleasant and Ethan Stokke. My best entry is in the 91st percentile, which ranks in 249,981th place. These guys must be GM grads, or something!