UCLA offered to double Jay Wright’s deal...he said no

[Cheeks]

If conference matters...I don't think it's a selling point for the Zags.

I'll let the players and coaches decide that for themselves.  The Zags conference isn't great, but they are a virtual guarantee to get a high seed, go undefeated or maybe one loss, and they balance it out with an aggressive non-conference. 

Are you suggesting that Jay Wright doesn't think the Big East is a valuable piece for HIM?  His quotes over many years would defy that thinking.

[Cheeks]

Tell us again how horrible it is to live amongst all those liberals, the first hundred times were so enrapturing.

This state is great if you love homelessness, highest poverty in the nation, 44th ranked education, highest taxes in the nation...it is amazing.  Absolutely sublime. 

[war1980rior]

This state is great if you love homelessness, highest poverty in the nation, 44th ranked education, highest taxes in the nation...it is amazing.  Absolutely sublime.

CA is a beautiful place, but those key items make it a vacation spot vs. residence for me!  Something about no state income tax in FL that I really like.  No place is perfect, but if you live in anyplace long enough, you'll appreciate something about it.  Still looking to make that Napa trip!  Enjoy it Cheeks!

[The Lens]

CA is a beautiful place, but those key items make it a vacation spot vs. residence for me!  Something about no state income tax in FL that I really like.  No place is perfect, but if you live in anyplace long enough, you'll appreciate something about it.  Still looking to make that Napa trip!  Enjoy it Cheeks!

I'll put Wisconsin, specifically Milwaukee, up there with anywhere.

You call BS and say weather.

I answer with:

No hurricanes,
No earthquakes,
No forest fires,
No alligators,
Reasonable cost of living,
Proximity to ORD,
Lake Michigan.

[#UnleashSean]

I'll put Wisconsin, specifically Milwaukee, up there with anywhere.

You call BS and say weather.

I answer with:

No hurricanes,
No earthquakes,
No forest fires,
No alligators,
Reasonable cost of living,
Proximity to ORD,
Lake Michigan.

I really liked that the main highlights were no disasters and cheapish living.

[Lennys Tap]

They are vastly dissimilar.  Gonzaga has absolutely no competition in their league.  Nova does.  The situations are not close.

Absolutely no competition? Here are the average Pomeroy final rankings for the last 4 years:

St Marys    28

Xavier       31.2
Butler       36.8
Creighton  38.2
Seton Hall 41.2
MU           53.8
Providence61.5
GTown      81.2
St Johns   118.6
DePaul     145.6

Now that I have proven beyond any doubt that your statement was patently false will you please a) eat a large helping of crow and b) "man up" (? whatever TF that means) and give some money to the charity of my choice?

PS - I am, of course, kidding about the money. It would be beyond weird to raise money for charity that way.

[ATL MU Warrior]

Absolutely no competition? Here are the average Pomeroy final rankings for the last 4 years:

St Marys    28

Xavier       31.2
Butler       36.8
Creighton  38.2
Seton Hall 41.2
MU           53.8
Providence61.5
GTown      81.2
St Johns   118.6
DePaul     145.6

Now that I have proven beyond any doubt that your statement was patently false will you please a) eat a large helping of crow and b) "man up" (? whatever TF that means) and give some money to the charity of my choice?

PS - I am, of course, kidding about the money. It would be beyond weird to raise money for charity that way.

Your constant need to argue with EVERY SINGLE POST Chicos posts is terribly annoying.

So beyond St. Mary's and Xavier/Butler/Creighton being somewhat comparable, why didn't you include the rest of Gonzaga's conference?  Could it be because the rest of their conference sucks?

[war1980rior]

I really liked that the main highlights were no disasters and cheapish living.

I could use a few less hurricanes, but 2 in the last two years and we should be ok for a bit (knocking on wood).  That said, no shoveling snow, golf 365 days a year, no traffic (comparatively speaking), excellent health care (Mayo - almost right down the street), no state taxes, and extremely inexpensive real estate.

It's all in what you're used to.  I planned on Chicago after MU (grew up in NY), but the Navy made me love the other side of the Mason Dixon line, and love the ocean.  Still like to head up to Milwaukee, as it was an extremely fun time.  If you're pushing Milwaukee as a place to live, the best thing I can say is the people are "small town nice."

[79Warrior]

This state is great if you love homelessness, highest poverty in the nation, 44th ranked education, highest taxes in the nation...it is amazing.  Absolutely sublime.

Then leave or STFU. Is your job that important that you would put yourself and your family through such a sublime experience?

[war1980rior]

Then leave or STFU. Is your job that important that you would put yourself and your family through such a sublime experience?

I think he said that if you can live with all that, it's a good place.  I live in FL and have to tolerate alligators and hurricanes, but it's ok beyond that (except for Gator, Cane and Nole fans - they're enough to drive most out).  No shoveling snow for me!

[Lennys Tap]

Then leave or STFU. Is your job that important that you would put yourself and your family through such a sublime experience?

+1. It's an awful, soul crushing experience for Cheeks and his family but they can't leave until his daughter finishes high school???? Why would anyone put his loved ones through hell on earth over such an unimportant issue? Don't they have high schools in Utah?

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

The WCC is not comparable to the Big East. They haven't sent more than 2 teams to the NCAA tourney since 2012. Have they ever sent more than 3 teams?

[avid1010]

This state is great if you love homelessness, highest poverty in the nation, 44th ranked education, highest taxes in the nation...it is amazing.  Absolutely sublime.

then move...if my wife complained as much as you i'd get a divorce. 

[avid1010]

+1. It's an awful, soul crushing experience for Cheeks and his family but they can't leave until his daughter finishes high school???? Why would anyone put his loved ones through hell on earth over such an unimportant issue? Don't they have high schools in Utah?

well...kind of...but they would really like to get rid of senior year...

https://abcnews.go.com/WN/utah-mulls-eliminating-12th-grade/story?id=9853553

[Lennys Tap]

Your constant need to argue with EVERY SINGLE POST Chicos posts is terribly annoying.

So beyond St. Mary's and Xavier/Butler/Creighton being somewhat comparable, why didn't you include the rest of Gonzaga's conference?  Could it be because the rest of their conference sucks?

Just read over some of your recents posts. Lots of personal insults, misrepresentations of what people say, opinions I consider either wrong or simplistic, etc., - so I don't really care if you think I'm annoying. Don't like it (or me) put me on ignore.

As to your assertion that I argue with EVERY SINGLE POST that Chico makes, that would be impossible. If you include all his identities he posts 10x more than anyone here. But he talks a lot of sh!t here and when he says things that are patently false (like Gonzaga has ABSOLUTELY NO COMPETITION in the WCC - not LESS COMPETITION than Villanova, but NO COMPETITION - I'll point that out. Don't like it? I couldn't care less.

[Lennys Tap]

The WCC is not comparable to the Big East. They haven't sent more than 2 teams to the NCAA tourney since 2012. Have they ever sent more than 3 teams?

Never said they were comparable as a conference. Big difference between that and saying Gonzaga has zero competition. Over the last few years the 2nd best team in their conference has, on average, been better than any team in the Big East not named Villanova.

[dgies9156]

I'll put Wisconsin, specifically Milwaukee, up there with anywhere.

No alligators
Proximity to ORD

Proximity to ORD I get. But you don't like alligators? What did any alligator do to you? They are quite docile as long as they are regularly fed.

Besides, professional alligator wrestling is Florida's great cultural contribution to the world.

As for our insipid college football fans, all I can say is "Friends don't let friends grow up to be Gators!"

[The Sultan]

You don't think knowing he is going to win the conference every year, get a high seed doesn't factor for Few?  I suspect it does, but for others they may want a better conference, more notoriety, etc.

Dan Monson is still very good friends with Mark Few. Monson has said what a bad decision it was to go to Minnesota and that he should have stayed at Gonzaga. I'm sure that has impacted Few's thinking.

[Uncle Rico]

Dan Monson is still very good friends with Mark Few. Monson has said what a bad decision it was to go to Minnesota and that he should have stayed at Gonzaga. I'm sure that has impacted Few's thinking.

Don't mess with happy

[damuts222]

Besides, professional alligator wrestling is Florida's great cultural contribution to the world.

No...all the stories of Florida resident does ...X...are Florida's greatest contribution.

[LAZER]

Never said they were comparable as a conference. Big difference between that and saying Gonzaga has zero competition. Over the last few years the 2nd best team in their conference has, on average, been better than any team in the Big East not named Villanova.

You sure about that?

[forgetful]

Never said they were comparable as a conference. Big difference between that and saying Gonzaga has zero competition. Over the last few years the 2nd best team in their conference has, on average, been better than any team in the Big East not named Villanova.

Absolutely moronic statement. Last year alone the Big East got two #1 seeds. The WCC only got 1 team in the NCAA tournament. The Big East got 6.

In 2016-17, Butler a 4 seed, was significantly better than St. Mary's (7-seed). The Big East got 7 teams in the tournament, the WCC only 2. The BE had 3 teams with higher seeds than St. Mary's.

In 2015-16, Gonzaga was the only team to make the NCAA tournament as an 11 seed. The WCC had no ranked teams. The BE got 5 teams in the tournament. Two 2-seeds, a 6-seed, and two 9-seeds. All higher than Gonzaga.

Facts still matter.

[Billy Hoyle]

Dan Monson is still very good friends with Mark Few. Monson has said what a bad decision it was to go to Minnesota and that he should have stayed at Gonzaga. I'm sure that has impacted Few's thinking.

Few is so beloved and bulletproof in Spokane that he could punch a nun and people would ask "what did that nun do to Coach Few?" He has all the money he needs, loves to fly fish and so Spokane and eastern Washington fits his lifestyle, he gets everything he wants from the university and is basically guaranteed a tourney bid every year. They're a high major in a mid-major conference.

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

Never said they were comparable as a conference. Big difference between that and saying Gonzaga has zero competition. Over the last few years the 2nd best team in their conference has, on average, been better than any team in the Big East not named Villanova.

I don't know if average KenPom ranking is the best way to determine that. St. Mary's has been consistently good (not great) in KenPom but they've never really come close to challenging Gonzaga the way other Big East teams have challenged Villanova.

2019:
Big East #1: Villanova (KenPom 30, NCAA Seed 6)
Big East #2: Marquette (KenPom 33, NCAA Seed 5)
WCC: #1: Gonzaga (Kenpom 2, NCAA Seed 1)
WCC: #2: St. Mary's (Kenpom 31, NCAA Seed 11)
Kenpom Difference: 3 (Big East) 29 (WCC)
NCAA Seed Difference: -1 (Big East) 10 (WCC)

2018:
Big East #1: Villanova (KenPom 1, NCAA Seed 1)
Big East #2: Xavier (KenPom 15, NCAA Seed 1)
WCC: #1: Gonzaga (Kenpom 10, NCAA Seed 4)
WCC: #2: St. Mary's (Kenpom 32, NCAA Seed NIT 1)
Kenpom Difference: 14 (Big East) 21 (WCC)
NCAA Seed Difference: 0 (Big East) 9 (WCC)

2017:
Big East #1: Villanova (KenPom 2, NCAA Seed 1)
Big East #2: Butler (KenPom 25, NCAA Seed 4)
WCC: #1: Gonzaga (Kenpom 1, NCAA Seed 1)
WCC: #2: St. Mary's (Kenpom 15, NCAA Seed 7)
Kenpom Difference: 23 (Big East) 14 (WCC)
NCAA Seed Difference: 3 (Big East) 6 (WCC)

2016:
Big East #1: Villanova (KenPom 1, NCAA Seed 2)
Big East #2: Xavier (KenPom 14, NCAA Seed 2)
WCC: #1: Gonzaga (Kenpom 21, NCAA Seed 11)
WCC: #2: St. Mary's (Kenpom 34, NCAA Seed NIT 2)
Kenpom Difference: 13 (Big East) 13 (WCC)
NCAA Seed Difference: 0 (Big East) 3 (WCC)

2015:
Big East #1: Villanova (KenPom 5, NCAA Seed 1)
Big East #2: Georgetown (KenPom 22, NCAA Seed 4)
WCC: #1: Gonzaga (Kenpom 7, NCAA Seed 2)
WCC: #2: BYU (Kenpom 28, NCAA Seed 11)
Kenpom Difference: 17 (Big East) 21 (WCC)
NCAA Seed Difference: 3 (Big East) 9 (WCC)

2014:
Big East #1: Villanova (KenPom 11, NCAA Seed 2)
Big East #2: Creighton (KenPom 17, NCAA Seed 3)
WCC: #1: Gonzaga (Kenpom 24, NCAA Seed 8)
WCC: #2: BYU (Kenpom 49, NCAA Seed 10)
Kenpom Difference: 6 (Big East) 25 (WCC)
NCAA Seed Difference: 1 (Big East) 2 (WCC)

So every year other than maybe 2017, the second place team in the Big East has been better than than second place team in the WCC. Add in the fact that in several of these years the third, fourth, fifth, and sixth place teams were right behind the second place team in the Big East while those team in the WCC were not within miles, I think it is a reasonable statement to say that compared to Villanova/Big East, Gonzaga has no competition in the WCC.

[Lennys Tap]

I don't know if average KenPom ranking is the best way to determine that. St. Mary's has been consistently good (not great) in KenPom but they've never really come close to challenging Gonzaga the way other Big East teams have challenged Villanova.

2019:
Big East #1: Villanova (KenPom 30, NCAA Seed 6)
Big East #2: Marquette (KenPom 33, NCAA Seed 5)
WCC: #1: Gonzaga (Kenpom 2, NCAA Seed 1)
WCC: #2: St. Mary's (Kenpom 31, NCAA Seed 11)
Kenpom Difference: 3 (Big East) 29 (WCC)
NCAA Seed Difference: -1 (Big East) 10 (WCC)

2018:
Big East #1: Villanova (KenPom 1, NCAA Seed 1)
Big East #2: Xavier (KenPom 15, NCAA Seed 1)
WCC: #1: Gonzaga (Kenpom 10, NCAA Seed 4)
WCC: #2: St. Mary's (Kenpom 32, NCAA Seed NIT 1)
Kenpom Difference: 14 (Big East) 21 (WCC)
NCAA Seed Difference: 0 (Big East) 9 (WCC)

2017:
Big East #1: Villanova (KenPom 2, NCAA Seed 1)
Big East #2: Butler (KenPom 25, NCAA Seed 4)
WCC: #1: Gonzaga (Kenpom 1, NCAA Seed 1)
WCC: #2: St. Mary's (Kenpom 15, NCAA Seed 7)
Kenpom Difference: 23 (Big East) 14 (WCC)
NCAA Seed Difference: 3 (Big East) 6 (WCC)

2016:
Big East #1: Villanova (KenPom 1, NCAA Seed 2)
Big East #2: Xavier (KenPom 14, NCAA Seed 2)
WCC: #1: Gonzaga (Kenpom 21, NCAA Seed 11)
WCC: #2: St. Mary's (Kenpom 34, NCAA Seed NIT 2)
Kenpom Difference: 13 (Big East) 13 (WCC)
NCAA Seed Difference: 0 (Big East) 3 (WCC)

2015:
Big East #1: Villanova (KenPom 5, NCAA Seed 1)
Big East #2: Georgetown (KenPom 22, NCAA Seed 4)
WCC: #1: Gonzaga (Kenpom 7, NCAA Seed 2)
WCC: #2: BYU (Kenpom 28, NCAA Seed 11)
Kenpom Difference: 17 (Big East) 21 (WCC)
NCAA Seed Difference: 3 (Big East) 9 (WCC)

2014:
Big East #1: Villanova (KenPom 11, NCAA Seed 2)
Big East #2: Creighton (KenPom 17, NCAA Seed 3)
WCC: #1: Gonzaga (Kenpom 24, NCAA Seed 8)
WCC: #2: BYU (Kenpom 49, NCAA Seed 10)
Kenpom Difference: 6 (Big East) 25 (WCC)
NCAA Seed Difference: 1 (Big East) 2 (WCC)

So every year other than maybe 2017, the second place team in the Big East has been better than than second place team in the WCC. Add in the fact that in several of these years the third, fourth, fifth, and sixth place teams were right behind the second place team in the Big East while those team in the WCC were not within miles, I think it is a reasonable statement to say that compared to Villanova/Big East, Gonzaga has no competition in the WCC.

I use Pomeroy because I think they are much more accurate than the AP, USA Today or the NCAA seeding committee. If you're looking for teams to fade in the NCAA tournament check out the teams who according to his rankings are over seeded. Works pretty well. By their standards, St Marys (31) was slightly better than MU in 2019 and Georgetown (22) was only slightly better than BYU (28) in 2015.

But that's not really the point. I'm not saying (nor have I ever said) that the WCC is equal to or better than the new Big East. They're not. But to say that Gonzaga faces absolutely no competition is just plain false.