NCAA Conference Re-Draft Project: Fourth Round Results
by Cory Williams on Jun 22, 2011 4:10 PM MST
in SB Nation Conference Re-Draft Project
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PrintThe fourth round went quickly on Wednesday as the conferences clamored to pick up their valued assets. Below you will see how the picks went (parentheses indicate previously picked teams):
Red Cup Rebellion: Stanford (LSU, Michigan, North Carolina)
Us: Tennessee (USC, Notre Dame, Oregon)
Big East Coast Bias: Michigan State (Ohio State, Florida State, Louisville)
Team Speed Kills: Texas A&M (Alabama, Oklahoma, Nebraska)
Black Heart Gold Pants: UMiami (Florida, Penn State, Virginia Tech)
BC Interruption: Wisconsin (Texas, Georgia, UCLA)
This round was an interesting one, as you can start to clearly see what each conference values. Red Cup continues to impress, this time by picking up Bay Area school with deep, deep coffers and incredible academic tradition.
We've continued building an impeccable football conference that is facing some allegations of impropriety. Fear not, within a few years all of these teams will be giants once again.
Not sure about Michigan State... solid in all sports but Michigan is not a state you should bet on right now in terms of economic growth. Texas A&M is a great pickup for the smash mouth midwestern conference, but it feels a whole lot like the Big 12.
Miami and Florida in the same conference? Sign me up for that rivalry! Finally, Wisconsin is a good pickup for the Texas conference but who knows how that will work out.
I think everyone will find that the conferences are shaping up nicely, and adding Tennessee gives us legitimacy in the rust belt. Not only that, but we get Pat Summitt and another good quality men's basketball program.
Seriously... we get Pat Summitt.
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Tennessee was a good pick
Strong program, in an area of need the south. However you still need that basketball school. Hard to take Kentucky at this point, maybe Kansas? Now might be a good spot to take ASU, they may not be around for round 6 (or is there some rule against another program picking them?). If ASU, you should be able to pick up either Kansas or Duke next round.
Regarding basketball:
There are six traditional b-ball powers: Duke, UNC, Kansas, Kentucky, Indiana and UCLA. UConn and Michigan State are certainly not chopped liver, either.
Tennessee and Notre Dame are decent basketball brands. You don’t have a need to reach for b-ball right now. Consider Pitt, or West Virginia if you want to get some good b-ball without anemic football.
Washington and Auburn are off the board
TSK is next and they won’t pick until tomorrow, they are talking basketball. Sparky picks early in the 5th round, unless two of those are picked in front of them, they could risk waiting. However I’m not sure why if they could get Kentucky or Kansas now. You need an elite power.
In case SoCal and Notre Dame didn't get your TV contract
Pat Summitt Death Stare. It will not fail.
/overkill
Heel for school, Vol for life!
Go Bolts! Out West, go Preds! Southern hockey solidarity!
by Incipient_Senescence on Jun 22, 2011 9:47 PM MST reply actions
Tennessee is a very weak pick...
…in present tense, but has the potential to be better. Their Baseball program is down. Men’s Football and Basketball have some NCAA ‘splanin’ to do. Their fringe sports tend to be hit and miss from year to year.
If you were going to pick a team based on some ‘alt’ thought, I would have started raiding the power basketball schools at this point. Duke comes to mind automatically with a FBS level football team, top flight b-ball, top level LAX, and a few things they excel at on those off-years. Maybe UConn with their rising football program and their top level b-ball. UNC would be next, then Kentucky/UCLA, then Kansas/IU. I can’t think of another ‘traditional’ basketball power at this point.
It's not what you've done but what you are doing that matters.
Maybe next year the Ice Surface at Jobing.com should be frozen with the tears of Winnipeg. - TimmyHate of FiveForHowling to a troll after it was alleged Coyote fans do not know how to ice skate.
parlay...
…UCONN has the pleasure of having a men’s and women’s championship basketball program, along with the rise in their FBS level football.
It's not what you've done but what you are doing that matters.
Maybe next year the Ice Surface at Jobing.com should be frozen with the tears of Winnipeg. - TimmyHate of FiveForHowling to a troll after it was alleged Coyote fans do not know how to ice skate.
by AlabamaJammer on Jun 23, 2011 5:30 AM MST up reply actions
weak right now
in everything except revenue, which continues to be strong. Also, I know they had SEC championships this year in women’s bball, softball, and men’s tennis, but I don’t know much about the non-revs in general. Also, also, they already did the NCAA ‘splainin’.
But having a couple down years really shouldn’t be much of a consideration in this sort of deal. Michigan, fresh off a 40 point loss to Mississippi State and not too far removed from a 3-9 season (we’ll not even mention Appy) is still the first pick of the 2nd round, and rightfully so. In fact, they probably could’ve gone in the first.
Heel for school, Vol for life!
Go Bolts! Out West, go Preds! Southern hockey solidarity!
by Incipient_Senescence on Jun 23, 2011 6:48 AM MST up reply actions
Puhleese...
Tennessee leads all SEC schools in men’s conference titles in all sports… and the vast majority are in sports like football, track, basketball, swimming, and cross country… aka sports every conference school plays… unlike some folks racking up SEC titles in sports only 2 or 3 teams even field full teams for. And in all but a couple we’ve won titles in the last several years.
As far as basketball goes… seriously, you take basketball teams you get the Big East. Yeah, Duke = eyeballs but I’d point out that a HUGE rating for a basketball game is a 2… while in football you can be looking at a 5 or a 6 share. There is a reason the SEC/BigTen/Pac12 got awesome TV contracts while the Big East is on MASN in the 9000s on DirectTV and 1/3 of the ACC schedule is streaming on ESPN3 instead of on TV.
And even if they didn't the TV draw with ND and USC is incredible...
We’ve continued building an impeccable football conference that is facing some allegations of impropriety. Fear not, within a few years all of these teams will be giants once again.
It's not what you've done but what you are doing that matters.
Maybe next year the Ice Surface at Jobing.com should be frozen with the tears of Winnipeg. - TimmyHate of FiveForHowling to a troll after it was alleged Coyote fans do not know how to ice skate.
Good point
Even with all of ND’s losing seasons, they continue to pull in big numbers and dollars. As for USC, seems ESPN/Fox don’t care as they already picked up 11 of their 12 games (over twice as many an any other Pac12 program). I had already said I would have picked Kentucky, but that was in part for other reasons. Still UT is a strong program with unwaving fan base regardless of what is facing them. These schools were following picks: Michigan State, TAMU, Miami, Wisconsin, Washington and Auburn. I don’t see any of those as better considering what Sparky already had on board. ND cancels out the need for MSU and Wisky, at least this early. Don’t really think that much of TAMU, and Oregon cancels out Udub. They needed a school in the south so it was between UT and UA…who would you pick?
by ev on Jun 23, 2011 7:57 AM MST up reply actions
When you say UA, do you mean Arkansas or Auburn (which is actually AU)?
Either way, Tennessee has better football history and overall revenue. UT beats Auburn in non-football sports as well, not sure about Arkansas. They have a couple non-rev powers.
Heel for school, Vol for life!
Go Bolts! Out West, go Preds! Southern hockey solidarity!
by Incipient_Senescence on Jun 23, 2011 8:48 AM MST up reply actions
Sorry I meant AU
Hadn’t considered Arkansas as I would think Tennessee and Auburn are better choices. They and SCC are that next level SEC school in my book.
by ev on Jun 23, 2011 8:55 AM MST up reply actions
I tend to agree
Historically, the SEC’s top tier is Alabama and Tennessee (in that order) and the 2nd tier is Auburn, Georgia, and LSU. Obviously, recent success has jumped Florida into the top tier, but I still think that those six are a significant cut above Arkansas and Carolina. All six have at least seven SEC titles, and no one else has won the conference since 1976 (Kentucky).
Heel for school, Vol for life!
Go Bolts! Out West, go Preds! Southern hockey solidarity!
by Incipient_Senescence on Jun 23, 2011 9:47 AM MST up reply actions
And I'm pretty sure Kentucky...
ended up with mega sanctions after what Fran Curci did to win that SEC title… in fact I’m pretty sure they weren’t even eligible for the postseason.
Notre Dame defies logic
They are bigger than the sport of football. They are a religious power in the midwest with an awesome tradition. They are our biggest giant.
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by Cory Williams on Jun 23, 2011 10:14 AM MST up reply actions
You were lucky in the order
ND wouldn’t have been around if you had to pick a couple of spots later. Nice of RCR to pick Michigan instead (I wouldn’t have).
TSK took Arizona
Not a bad pick, but one that probably would have been there next round. If ECB passes on Kentucky I would pick them. Elite basketball school (a need) and a nice tie-in for Tennessee.
seconded
be nice to keep our biggest basketball rival. and they could keep their biggest football rival that they can’t beat.
Heel for school, Vol for life!
Go Bolts! Out West, go Preds! Southern hockey solidarity!
by Incipient_Senescence on Jun 23, 2011 1:13 PM MST up reply actions
I'm afraid ECB is going to pick my Orange
As it would make a lot of sense given the rest of his picks. But if he doesn’t, well … I don’t like the conference he’s putting together, whereas I think what Sparky’s done has been pretty impressive. And while we’re not on probation for anything right now, we’ve had a lacrosse national championship vacated before and postseason ban in hoops once, so SU would fit right in (and more practically, adds a basketball power that doesn’t totally suck in football now that Greg Robinson is gone, and gives a northeastern presence).
If I were ECB, I would head out west and take Cal
before someone else does. I don’t think they last through the next round, it would be a great pairing with Stanford by RCR. The last west coast power outside of ASU. Otherwise you are looking at programs like Oregon State or Boise, a huge step down.That said, I agree, not excited about what ECB has put together. Can’t see an overall plan, they have no west-coast power and they reached with both FSU and Louisville.
by ev on Jun 23, 2011 2:34 PM MST up reply actions
We got Syracuse
We’re doing pretty well.
House Of Sparky: An Arizona State Sun Devils blog
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by Cory Williams on Jun 23, 2011 5:42 PM MST up reply actions
Syracuse works
Clearly you are still picking according to the master plan!
by ev on Jun 23, 2011 7:03 PM MST up reply actions
not bad
solid academics, strong basketball, sometimes decent football (I remember a great tussle with McNabb in the Carrier Dome in ‘98), more inroads into the NYC market. my pick would’ve been Kentucky (if they’re still on the board), but I can see the logic behind this one
Heel for school, Vol for life!
Go Bolts! Out West, go Preds! Southern hockey solidarity!
by Incipient_Senescence on Jun 23, 2011 7:23 PM MST up reply actions
A Good Choice
Plus, with Syracuse Playing USC this year, and its several games against ND in recent years, and forthcoming, you have a good start of an inter-conference rivalry. Plus, Cuse and UT make for the Orange Deathmatch.
Syracuse is a great pick
They control most of the NY market, good academics, great tradition in both Football and Basketball, they’re one of the best basketball teams in the nation, football team is on the rise again, and they have some really solid “smaller” sport teams; e.g. Lacrosse (best in the nation) and Cross Country (top 15 in the nation).
West Virginia
More East Coast Bias from East Coast Bias.
Really Ohio Valley Bias
I mean, he hasn’t taken an original Big East school yet (WVU was one of them newbies when we wanted to start a foot-ball conference in the 1990s).
Really?
WVU is a decent pick, probably could have waited a round to pick them up. However it makes no sense, they have no major program from the entire western half of the country. East Coast Bias is correct! Another reach pick.
Well
When you had high revenue medium state schools like Illinois, Clemson, and Arkansas still left on the board, I think WVa pales in comparison. They’re real advantage is having a big fan base in a conference of modest fan bases. No longer an advantage.
I would have gone with Kentucky. You’re then great in hoops, and you’re Kentucky-Louisville rivalry provides a tentpole for your conference. Both would also create a decent enough rivalry with Ohio State. With a bunch of high quality basketball programs still on the board (UConn, Duke, Kansas), you could focus here and win March.
I too think the pick was Kentucky
either them or Cal. I’m not overly impressed with ECB lineup, it’s not bad but in comparison it’s not that great either. Too many holes and reaches after the first five rounds. One yes, three no.
Cal?
Several people have mentioned Cal, but I think it’s way to early for them. Cal’s advantage is being well rounded (well, that and rugby). But they do not have anything special from the two major revenue sports. They’re not top flight in either football or basketball. You have to dominate one of those two sports to be a true conference. Whether intentional or not, ECB has leaned to hoops. Cal doesn’t help them there. Kentucky does.
Yes but they didn't pick Kentucky
Cal isn’t as strong in either sport, but they are the last major program on the west coast outside of ASU. When you wait that long, you don’t get to be that picky. You do pick up a nice size athletic budget, outstanding academics and non-revenue sports (they are currently in the top 5 of the directors cup), give you Cali recruiting and have an excellent location. I don’t think Cal will last past the next round.
by ev on Jun 24, 2011 1:45 PM MST up reply actions
5th round complete
Here are the results:
http://www.houseofsparky.com/2011/6/24/2240638/ncaa-conference-re-draft-project-fifth-round-results
House Of Sparky: An Arizona State Sun Devils blog
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