I'm always amused at the amount of pre-season and early season college sports rankings there are. These rankings typically can be thrown out the window by about the second week of the season. Sure, it's fun to look ahead, but if you're filling out that bracket already, you'd best not be using ink.
Speaking of really, really, really early rankings, here's a good laugh: the RPI rankings of a season that is barely a week old. Bucknell is ranked #1, Bona's #74. Some other interesting ones: UCF #4, North Texas #10. Now, I'm all for pushing the little guys, but somehow I don't think Bucknell is the #1 team in the country, especially with an injury to perhaps their best player (Darren Mastropaolo). (EDIT: See, I was right! Bucknell isn't number one! VA Commonwealth, a team you might want to put in the sweet 16 if you're one of those early prognosticators, bumped the Bison to #2.)
For those of you who never tire of filling out those brackets, rejoice: There will be not one, not two, but three post-season NCAA basketball tourneys this year. I love March Madness as much as anyone- I think the first two days of the NCAA Tournament are the best days in sports- and I'll even watch the occassional NIT game to watch my beloved snubbed mid-majors, but the opportunity to watch teams slated 98-114 in the nation? I might pass on that. The thought of a championship series to determine the champion of the tournament is intriguing, though, and a thought they might want to take to the NIT.
ESPN has a nice article on my personal favorite mid-major conference, the Missouri Valley. The article mentions nearly all the mid-majors, though, including the A-10. I believe the A-10 will be much, much stronger than last year's debacle, although I don't share the author's view that Dayton will be a contender for an at-large bid. Unless they get hot at the right time and pull off an upset against Xavier in the conference tourney, I think X, George Washington and St. Joe's (a team I expect big improvements from) are the teams this year. I see a team like Dayton about sixth, but that shows how much stronger the A-10 should be in '07-'08. It's nice to see programs like St. Joe's, Fordham, UMass and Rhody get things turned around at the same time Bona's seems to be heading in the right direction. I know, some people will look down on me for rooting for the competition, but it hurt to see a once proud basketball conference like the A-10 struggle so mightily last season. This should never become a one-bid conference. The overall strength of the conference will hold us back this season, I'm looking for 4-5conference wins as being a success, but can only help the Bonnies' program in the future. Strength of conference is a tremendously important recruiting tool when you're trying to lure a high schooler to Olean. By the way, don't you just love the mid-majors growing closer to the power conferences each year? Mid-major power!
Finally, there's a brief message from Coach Schmidt on the back page of today's BV. In it, he thanks the fans for their turnout and energy at Monday's game and says "Let's not be satisfied until it (the RC) is completely full and there is a brown WolfPack shirt in every student section seat!" A short message like this goes a long way to keeping spirits high among students, so props to Schmidt and the athletic department (hopefully there will be no need for messages like the "apology" from Anthony Solomon for criticizing fans last year). By the way, we still need to get more students sitting behind the baskets at either end of the court. The opposition needs to feel like they're completely surrounded by the Rowdies...err...WolfPack.
As a side note, if you're in town and aren't too busy, drop by the Olean Rec Center tonight or tomorrow to check out SBU hockey at 7 each night against the University of Rochester tonight and Binghamton tomorrow.
Don't forget to check out the blog tonight at 7 (5 mountain time) for live updates from New Mexico from our very own staffers (lucky them).
-Scott Eddy, BV Online Director
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