Mid-Majors

klones · 03-20-2007, 12:05 AM

Anyone else glad to see that the majority of the mid-majors have been knocked out the tourney? Don't get me wrong, i'm not Billy Packer, I respect some of the mids, but teams like Gonzaga and Creighton and Oral Roberts get way overhyped throughout the season. Plus they bust your bracket which is enough to make anyone angry.

bawbie · 03-20-2007, 12:09 AM

The good mid-majors are still around, Southern Illinios and Butler. It is unusual that there weren't more upsets this year, but the fact that its unusual just shows you how used to upsets we are.

Oh yeah, the Missouri Valley and Horizon Conferences have the same number of teams left as the ACC and Big Ten: One.

LindenCy · 03-20-2007, 12:12 AM

I think part of it is that teams like Butler and Southern Illinois are higher ranked this year, so they don't look so much like the Cinderella mid-majors of years past.

klones · 03-20-2007, 12:12 AM

Originally Posted by bawbie

The good mid-majors are still around, Southern Illinios and Butler. It is unusual that there weren't more upsets this year, but the fact that its unusual just shows you how used to upsets we are.

Oh yeah, the Missouri Valley and Horizon Conferences have the same number of teams left as the ACC and Big Ten: One.

Butler earned a lot of respect early in the season and they are one team that I do think belongs in the sweet 16. They already showed what they could do in a tournament format. I was very disappointed Gonzaga won their conference tourney. It would have been nice to see someone different in there.

Stumpy · 03-20-2007, 01:28 AM

One reason many of the mid-majors have been knocked out of the tournament is there weren't many in there to begin with. Looking at the at-large bids there were only six (if I recall correctly) mid-majors selected. It makes it hard for them to make some noise when the pool consists of minor conference winners and a handful of at-large bids.

It's the mid-majors that make the tourney though, in my opinion. Sure, they bust brackets, but who wants a predictable tournament? Maybe it's just my tendency to root for the underdog, but mid-majors make the whole thing more dramatic and entertaining.

darts180 · 03-20-2007, 03:59 AM

Originally Posted by klones

Anyone else glad to see that the majority of the mid-majors have been knocked out the tourney? Don't get me wrong, i'm not Billy Packer, I respect some of the mids, but teams like Gonzaga and Creighton and Oral Roberts get way overhyped throughout the season. Plus they bust your bracket which is enough to make anyone angry.

CBS is glad that they are gone, that is for sure.

ISUFan22 · 03-20-2007, 09:23 AM

And why would CBS be happy? Do they not get a boost in ratings when a George Mason makes a tournament run - everyone in America falling in love with 'em?

People are going to flock to March Madness. It's an obsession many of us have - for good reason. I don't understand why all this hate gets thrown at a TV network that does a pretty darn good job of bringing us March Madness coverage. Switching to games at the appropriate time for one - a big one too.

Billy Packer is the biggest mid-major hater - yet because of it all of CBS gets lumped into it.

On the tournament as a whole - there are pros and cons to how it's shaping up. The downside is there's no exciting cinderellas team that busted everyone's bracket yet those poor souls with tattered brackets are rooting for that very team.

The upside is we're about to watch in almost every game from here on out, the "heavyweight" fights. That should be some exciting basketball to watch.

mjones34 · 03-20-2007, 09:24 AM

CAll me an idiot, but what exactly constitutes a mid major? Is it any team in a conference thats not a big time conference?

bostinelosd · 03-20-2007, 09:34 AM

I tell you what. the year ISU went to the elite 8 was one of the highest rated years. When ISU lost to Michigan State the viewing slumped. People love to see an underdog win games and succeed. People get bored when the same teams win every year.

ISUFan22 · 03-20-2007, 09:46 AM

I didn't know we were that much of an underdog that year - having won the Big 12 regular season and tournament titles that season.

Somewhat of an unknown name perhaps - yet not a huge underdog.

bostinelosd · 03-20-2007, 09:54 AM

Well think about it. How often does America see us there? I would say we were an underdog of sorts. We had a following unlike any other that year. Imus, among other personalities were all rooting for us. It was weird.

cstrunk · 03-20-2007, 10:18 AM

Originally Posted by bostinelosd

Well think about it. How often does America see us there? I would say we were an underdog of sorts. We had a following unlike any other that year. Imus, among other personalities were all rooting for us. It was weird.

I agree that we are an underdog in the sorts that we are still unknown to much of the country. After all, we are the Iowa State Hawkeyes right?

We would be an underdog in the tournament if we made it past the Sweet 16, because frankly, we haven't been there too often! We would be the underdog to teams like KU, Michigan State, Illinois, North Carolina, Texas Tech, etc. If/until we get there on a regular basis we will still be considered an underdog, even if it's not of the George Mason sort.

bostinelosd · 03-20-2007, 10:28 AM

You summed up what I meant. I have a hard time writing what is in my head. Im not the lyrical gangsta some of you are =)

jdoggivjc · 03-20-2007, 07:24 PM

I kinda miss not having the cinderellas in this year. I'd rather cheer for them than the likes of Kansas, Ohio St., or Florida...

9seven · 03-20-2007, 07:29 PM

Originally Posted by mjones34

CAll me an idiot, but what exactly constitutes a mid major? Is it any team in a conference thats not a big time conference?

A mid major is any team that is not in the Big 12, Big 10, Pac 10, SEC, ACC or Big East. The six BCS conferences in football.