21 out of 22 and it's a yawn

[TheRealVille]

Will the media now accept Louisville is better than Clemson after beating them twice? Will the Cards have a higher seed than the Tigers now?

Despite beating their ass by 10 points, the entire college hoops media world still considered Clemson the better team. The betting line felt the same way tonight by favoring them by 2 and half points.

Never understood why. Just because Clemson beat Duke? Makes no sense other than people just don't want to trust Louisville.

Think about it. Has anyone heard much of anything this championship week that there's a team who has won 20 out of 21 games? I've been doing nothing but watching games all week and only heard it mentioned once.

Louisville should be the biggest story or at least near the top. Yet, there's nary a word about it. Now it's 21 out of 22.

Lunardi probably has us a #6 seed now.

 

[Morgantown Card]

I like the 6 seed. Avoid the 1 until the regional semifinals. I love your posts man but other than Clemson, Louisville hasn't beaten anyone. Can't control the schedule, beating fools by 20 won't impress anyone but we took care of business. I'm with you though, we're better than folks think and because of that we're a nightmare 6. Good luck to the 2 and 3, they'll need it.

 

[Morgantown Card]

Wow. Lunardi looks higher than Snoop Dogg in 1993.

 

[davecmc]

I’d say we just flipped seeds with Clemson making us a 4/5 and them a 6. Identical overall and conf records plus we’re 2-0 vs them with higher reg season finish and tourney finish.

 

[UKCoachesGraveyard]

Louisville should be the biggest story or at least near the top. Yet, there's nary a word about it. Now it's 21 out of 22....

Relentless is what our team has become and 21 of 22 backs it up! Give Kyle Smith credit for the appropriate props!

"We had them discombobulated there a little bit, but they're just relentless," Stanford coach Kyle Smith said. "And it was hard to keep them there."

 

[Thecycle27]

The best thing about the ACC being down it allowed Louisville to survive and thrive despite all the injuries. This is a really good team. It is like being in the Conference USA ripping through that league and being overlooked.

The timing of Kelsey hire and the ACC being down or in transition has the potential to be the start of a special run in basketball. As long as they have the funding watch out.

 

[nccardfan]

Will the media now accept Louisville is better than Clemson after beating them twice? Will the Cards have a higher seed than the Tigers now?

Despite beating their ass by 10 points, the entire college hoops media world still considered Clemson the better team. The betting line felt the same way tonight by favoring them by 2 and half points.

Never understood why. Just because Clemson beat Duke? Makes no sense other than people just don't want to trust Louisville.

Think about it. Has anyone heard much of anything this championship week that there's a team who has won 20 out of 21 games? I've been doing nothing but watching games all week and only heard it mentioned once.

Louisville should be the biggest story or at least near the top. Yet, there's nary a word about it. Now it's 21 out of 22.

Lunardi probably has us a #6 seed now.

Again, no conspiracy. I think you fail to point out that we were without Reyne, our 3rd leading scorer and its hard to know how a team will play without injured players. So yeah Reyne only had 3 pts against Clemson before but other than Scott Hadley was our only double digit scorer.

 

[2330859]

I have been on this anti-ESPN/Lunardi campaign for several years now, and while I have no physical evidence to support my suspicions; I believe the mainstream media, particularly NBC and Disney/ESPN, have an strategic agenda designed to advance the SEC and BIG, and certain schools in their respective sports based on TV audience attraction.

On one hand, those March Madness upsets in the early rounds provide excitement and some level of fulfillment for the TV audience; however, the effect during Regionals and the Final Four on TV viewership can result in significant decreases in revenue. Participants like SDS, FAU and Loyola-Chicago are not what Regional and National audiences want, and it is no coincidence that Disney/ESPN, NBC, ABC and CBS have invested a lot of money in advertising and televising these games; any influence they can muster up by helping advance those conferences and particularly the schools that attract the largest audiences is in full display with seedings.

There is absolutely no reason to believe that Lunardi has sufficient knowledge to warrant this level of influence, and there is nothing to support the manner in which the talking heads constantly refer to his seeding. Think about it ……. it’s the very same mainstream media that prop Lunardi up across every media outlet.

I am not doubting the superiority this season of the SEC, but teams like UK, Arkansas, Texas who have huge basketball audience following, but have struggled throughout this season, are still getting more favorable considerations, despite their losses. In all fairness, some of this spreads to the the other Power Conferences as well ……. as it is no coincidence that schools like Kansas, UNC, UCLA, Michigan State are each enjoying greater consideration, at least when comparing the same criteria with other schools who do not necessarily fit Lunardi’s agenda.

I do not believe Lunardi has a bias against UL per se, but I do believe that it is imperative that Lunardi minimizes UL, as well as so many other equally worthy teams in his seeding, as it’s his way of both defending and protecting those teams that he established early on …… otherwise it raises questions about his credibility.

It’s going to be extremely difficult now for Joe to explain his 8 seeding for UL as recently as just a few weeks ago. If we beat Duke tonight, we will have a strong argument for a 3 or 4 seeding, something the Committee might feel obligated to award.

 

[Ipartiedwithhopgood]

ESPN/Media didn't accept the outcome of last night's game. You'd think it was the crime of the century for Louisville to limp outta there with the win. So no, I don't think they've won anyone over that isn't in their corner already.

That said, the computers algorithm creates bracket predictions. The ACC flopped OOC and that's weakening representation and seeding.

Hopefully NC St does hire Wade, and hopefully UNC gets their act together. And if UVA hires the guy from Drake maybe they bounce back.

It may not matter overall, but I think if you get more chances to play good teams you get more chances to move up in the algorithm and you are probably better prepared for the NCAAT.

Either way it's been a fun year the league is trash so the team just didn't get opportunities to show if they were as improved as we hope they are. Good win last night though for sure.

 

[2330859]

ESPN/Mainstream Media doesn’t need to accept or reject an outcome, as they have no control over the team that wins or losses. Their influence is limited to their respective “talking heads” editorializing, as witnessed last night about the officiating. Their expressions before, during and after each game are more about indoctrination rather than providing objective critique.

Algorithms and metrics are only as objective as those who feed the data want it to be, and how much the Committee is relying on it. SoS has correctly grown over the years as an ever-increasing influence in selection Sunday seeding, and most will concede that is appropriate. What is now being stated as equally influential with the selection process, is a team’s trend. Schools that lost early on, but establish consecutive wins over the last several months are being rewarded, and there are few teams in America that can match UL.

While the Committee’s automatic bid for conference tournament champion is a reward, it does NOT necessarily result in a favorable seeding. Lastly, the “injury factor” is totally discretionary and not applied equally. For example, the NCAA spokesman just stated that while Cooper Flagg is out for tonight’s Championship game, but they have been advised by Duke that Flagg will definitely be available for the NCAA Tournament. I am calling “BS” ….. as Flagg is unlikely to be anywhere close to 100% if healthy enough to even dress. However, Duke knows that having a “1 seed” is huge and once they have it, no one can take it away regardless of whether Flagg plays or not. Watch UK and others lobby for their injured status as well.

I don’t care how bad the ACC is, or is not; judge UL with the same lens as the rest of the teams.

 

[beantowncard]

I have been on this anti-ESPN/Lunardi campaign for several years now, and while I have no physical evidence to support my suspicions; I believe the mainstream media, particularly NBC and Disney/ESPN, have an strategic agenda designed to advance the SEC and BIG, and certain schools in their respective sports based on TV audience attraction.

On one hand, those March Madness upsets in the early rounds provide excitement and some level of fulfillment for the TV audience; however, the effect during Regionals and the Final Four on TV viewership can result in significant decreases in revenue. Participants like SDS, FAU and Loyola-Chicago are not what Regional and National audiences want, and it is no coincidence that Disney/ESPN, NBC, ABC and CBS have invested a lot of money in advertising and televising these games; any influence they can muster up by helping advance those conferences and particularly the schools that attract the largest audiences is in full display with seedings.

There is absolutely no reason to believe that Lunardi has sufficient knowledge to warrant this level of influence, and there is nothing to support the manner in which the talking heads constantly refer to his seeding. Think about it ……. it’s the very same mainstream media that prop Lunardi up across every media outlet.

I am not doubting the superiority this season of the SEC, but teams like UK, Arkansas, Texas who have huge basketball audience following, but have struggled throughout this season, are still getting more favorable considerations, despite their losses. In all fairness, some of this spreads to the the other Power Conferences as well ……. as it is no coincidence that schools like Kansas, UNC, UCLA, Michigan State are each enjoying greater consideration, at least when comparing the same criteria with other schools who do not necessarily fit Lunardi’s agenda.

I do not believe Lunardi has a bias against UL per se, but I do believe that it is imperative that Lunardi minimizes UL, as well as so many other equally worthy teams in his seeding, as it’s his way of both defending and protecting those teams that he established early on …… otherwise it raises questions about his credibility.

It’s going to be extremely difficult now for Joe to explain his 8 seeding for UL as recently as just a few weeks ago. If we beat Duke tonight, we will have a strong argument for a 3 or 4 seeding, something the Committee might feel obligated to award.

Isn’t Lunardi just a guy with an opinion? How is he different from anyone on this board?

 

[TheRealVille]

Isn’t Lunardi just a guy with an opinion? How is he different from anyone on this board?

Well there's thousands of dollars to start with and a reputation that has to be maintained to retain those thousands of dollars.

But other than that, it's just his opinion.

 

[BooneCo_Card]

Isn’t Lunardi just a guy with an opinion? How is he different from anyone on this board?

The old adage, "Figures don't lie, but liars figure" comes to mind.

 

[PushupMan]

I hate the 6 seed. Half of the 6 seeds usually have to play an 11 seed that has already played one tournament game two or three days earlier. NCAA statistics bear out that teams who have played in the first four win their second game against the higher seed more often than teams on the same line as the first four teams who do not play in the first four.

 

[2330859]

Right now the best thing for UL is having some time to heal. Right now a 4 or 5 seed would appear to be a more reasonable position if an objective analysis were applied, as that would suggest that UL is somewhere ranked between 13th to 20th. Looking at this weekend’s results, it would be hard to find a team that would move UL from its 13th ranking in either of the polls.

 

[Thecycle27]

Football is the sport that is 100% a manufactured product. ESPN and media have thrown their money toward conferences with huge audiences. The entire process is manufactured to produce a very specific result. They are trying to manufacture the next expansion.

Basketball was the same way when it was king in the 60’s and 70’s with limited access to the tournament. Then ESPN came along expanded the sport by controlling the Big East and ACC. Nobody in the South cared about basketball. Then the tournament expanded to its current size. It was impossible to manufacture. The SEC smartly told their schools to invest in basketball. They did. ESPN followed suit with their TV deal. SEC expands. Now they are going to flood the tournament with 14 teams trying to manufacture the outcome.

At the end of the day the ACC dies because it doesn’t have big enough fanbases and therefore they are limited on how much revenue it can generate.

 

[Guardman]

Right now the best thing for UL is having some time to heal. Right now a 4 or 5 seed would appear to be a more reasonable position if an objective analysis were applied, as that would suggest that UL is somewhere ranked between 13th to 20th. Looking at this weekend’s results, it would be hard to find a team that would move UL from its 13th ranking in either of the polls.

Cards will be a 6 or a 5. Very beaten up crew. Shorthanded AND beaten up. Edwards and Hadley in best shape. Everyone else diminished or limited physically.

 

[TheRealVille]

Louisville definitely needs some time to heal as best that it can. Hopefully, they will play Friday and not Thursday.

Depending of course what their bracket ends up looking like, I think making the sweet 16 is the most likely limit for the team. I believe Cards fans just at least want that 1st round win. It's been so long since Louisville has won a NCAA tournament game.

Of everything that was said during ESPN'S broadcast of last night's game, only Dick Vitale said what truly is what most of Louisville fans believe. He said this season was just the beginning and Louisville was just getting started.

That Louisville basketball is no longer lost in the wilderness and that this first team of the Pat Kelsey era was not a fluke. With an influx of more talented players, I think Louisville can do what Uconn has done under Hurley.

Now if only the injury bug will go somewhere else.

 

[CardinalJunky]

If we can get Reyne back, I feel pretty good about getting a couple of wins (depending on the 2nd round match up if we get to that game). Not having another legit, game in and game out scoring threat hurt last night.

Hadley generally benefits from having Smith on the floor. We are much easier to defend missing Reyne and as good as Hadley can be, he isn't the type of player that can consistently be a go to offensive player, especially with the size mismatches he often deals with and the amount of minutes he has had to play.

All it takes is for either Edwards or Chucky to be "off" and that can be a disaster for our offense.

 

[Ipartiedwithhopgood]

There's a couple programs playing high level D - Duke, TN, Houston, StJ. So we've seen Duke 2x and TN, there's just not quite enough firepower this year to handle what those defenses throw at us. Very limited at the 4/5 position. But they also play stout perimeter D. It is true you don't play 3 games in 3 days ever again, but still this is my takeaway.

Next year it appears there's going to be an upgrade at the 4/5 and maybe in talent overall, though it's too soon to know for sure. But you see a culture established and a system that's effective. Reasons to be optimistic about it all despite the big picture of the sport.