From Katz's blog today...
• Here's something that folks in Kentucky don't want to consider but is being bandied about as a dream situation for the new postseason tournament, the College Basketball Invitational: a best-of-three series between Kentucky and Louisville. The new CBI, which is going to be a direct competitor of the NIT, is already trying to sift through the potential 16-team field for March if some teams don't make the NCAA Tournament. Of course, that has the organizers thinking about possible dream scenarios for its finals, which are slated to be a best-of-three series.
And, if it ever played out to where Louisville and Kentucky weren't in the NCAA Tournament, then the CBI could be an alternative over the NIT. And, if they were to get through to the final, then that would be an ideal situation for a fledging tournament trying to draw attention to itself.
But the reality is that Louisville still has a great shot to right itself and Kentucky isn't dead yet if Derrick Jasper comes back in a weak SEC. Also, teams will have a tough choice to go with the CBI over the NCAA-run NIT.
I wouldn't write Louisville off yet. I realize they've had injuries but lets remember they were picked right up there with Georgetown in the Big East.
The late Gene Sullivan of Loyola tried to get something similar launched back in the early 1980's when the Ramblers won 20 games (including one over MU) but missed both the NCAA and the NIT. This was back when they had Alfredrick Hughes and Carl Golston, so they had a pretty solid team.
I don't recall the details, but for some reason Sullivan wasn't well liked in college basketball circles, which led to the belief that Loyola was intentionally snubbed. No other teams wanted to join him in an alternate post-season tourney for fear of future NCAA retaliation.
I thought I read once where, after Al's 1970 team rejected an NCAA bid to play in (and win) the NIT, that the NCAA instituted a rule that teams cannot turn down an NCAA bid.
Assuming this is still true, I'm surprised the NCAA would allow teams to reject a bid from the (NCAA-run) NIT. Anybody know why there's no rule to that effect? Is it just because it's the NIT and nobody really cares enough about it to force teams to paly in it?
Quote from: Marquette84 on December 18, 2007, 12:42:19 PM
The late Gene Sullivan of Loyola tried to get something similar launched back in the early 1980's when the Ramblers won 20 games (including one over MU) but missed both the NCAA and the NIT. This was back when they had Alfredrick Hughes and Carl Golston, so they had a pretty solid team.
I don't recall the details, but for some reason Sullivan wasn't well liked in college basketball circles, which led to the belief that Loyola was intentionally snubbed. No other teams wanted to join him in an alternate post-season tourney for fear of future NCAA retaliation.
I know one year Loyola with Golston and Hughes went to the Sweet 16 and lost to Georgetown. They had some nice players -- Andre Battle and Andre Moore -- they just didn't have any size. Golston just died recently. I hadn't been aware that he was a transfer to Loyola from Wisconsin.
Quote from: PuertoRicanNightmare on December 18, 2007, 01:27:01 PM
Quote from: Marquette84 on December 18, 2007, 12:42:19 PM
The late Gene Sullivan of Loyola tried to get something similar launched back in the early 1980's when the Ramblers won 20 games (including one over MU) but missed both the NCAA and the NIT. This was back when they had Alfredrick Hughes and Carl Golston, so they had a pretty solid team.
I don't recall the details, but for some reason Sullivan wasn't well liked in college basketball circles, which led to the belief that Loyola was intentionally snubbed. No other teams wanted to join him in an alternate post-season tourney for fear of future NCAA retaliation.
I know one year Loyola with Golston and Hughes went to the Sweet 16 and lost to Georgetown. They had some nice players -- Andre Battle and Andre Moore -- they just didn't have any size. Golston just died recently. I hadn't been aware that he was a transfer to Loyola from Wisconsin.
I guess this was my 2nd decent post since 2004 :D
What was the first one? I couldn't resist ::)
His comment was in response to a PRN cheap shot on another thread.
http://www.muscoop.com/index.php?topic=5109.0 (http://www.muscoop.com/index.php?topic=5109.0)
Quote from: Tribby on December 18, 2007, 01:02:07 PM
I thought I read once where, after Al's 1970 team rejected an NCAA bid to play in (and win) the NIT, that the NCAA instituted a rule that teams cannot turn down an NCAA bid.
This is still true, and I agree it will be interesting to see if it is extended to the NIT. If so, it leaves the CBI with some pretty slim pickings.
Quote from: WashDCWarrior on December 18, 2007, 03:36:20 PM
His comment was in response to a PRN cheap shot on another thread.
http://www.muscoop.com/index.php?topic=5109.0 (http://www.muscoop.com/index.php?topic=5109.0)
Cheap shot!? I'm just trying to add some levity for some of you stuffed shirts!