A few thoughts about RPI

I would say I am a freak in the notion that I find tings like the BCS and RPI very interesting. RPI is a useful tool I think but usually not until the end of December or so, we are getting close to that point but reviewing the RPI figures currently out as of 12/14/05 you'll see many teams that are on the list that will drop significantly once non-conference play starts. As good as teams such as Bucknell and Gonzaga and even Memphis may be once they start playing league games they will drop down the ladder significantly. It will be interesting to see where a squad like Bucknell gets ranked come March after beating Kansas last year and Syracuse this year. I don't think anyone from that league has ever gotten higher than a 14 seed but that could change. What I find more interesting is to take a look at Conference RPI. You have to think that there will be some real changes in how many bids each conference gets in March. Conference USA has traditionally been a 4 bid league but with the loss of all it's marquee teams except for Memphis it has the look now of a 2 bid league. Houston has had some nice wins and has an RPI of 14 and ofcourse Memphis is 2 and it's only loss is to Duke. The Pac 10 and Big 12 could be losing bids this year and we may see leagues such as the Missouri Valley and Colonial getting 2-3 bids this spring. As bad as the Pac 10 has been perceived the Big 12 has an even lower RPI, this is particularly bad considering they have 12 teams (though Baylor has yet to play a game, why they are still being punished so punatively by the NCAA for the scummy behaviour of Dave Bliss boggles my mind).

Pac 10 Hoops, it's getting ugly . . . well I went to the Oregon - Illinois game at the Rose Garden . . . well what can I say good about this game, it was nice to see my friends from Eugene and it was nice to see a guy who should be a contender for Big 10 POY in Dee Brown who was en fuego against Oregon. Well on to reality, Ernie Kent has lost this Oregon team. It is basically the same squad as last year switching Crosswhite for Johnson. A loss not mentioned but probably more key than the loss of Crosswhite was losing Litz from the coaching ranks. I certainly don't see the massive improvement in the sophmore class that we saw from the 01/02 team and that has to go on the coaching staff and Ernie as well as the players . . . Oregon doesn't play defense for one. Second outside of Maarty and Ivan who on this team even attempts to rebound? Oregon's offense seems to be passing the ball around the perimeter until the shot clock gets down to 5 seconds and then taking a three. When you play like that and shoot in the 20's you are gonna get run . . . my prediction is that Kent survives the next two years and then resigns/gets fired once Jordan Kent's eligibility is complete after next season . . . here's my "Power" Poll . . .

UW - lots of senior leadership, Brockman, could run away with this league
UCLA - solid NCAA team with a likely seed of 4-6 and a definite shot at being a Sweet 16 IMO, need a healthy Affolo
Cal - Didn't look so hot this weekend for the few moments I caught them on TV, borderline NCAA team that has played a weak schedule so far
Arizona - Arizona is really missing the shooting of Salim . . . has the look of an 8/9 seed, which could be a very dangerous out for a 1 . . .
WSU - Clearly not in the same league as Gonzaga . . . NIT would be huge for them
USC - Jury is still out on Floyd but USC has some decent young talent
UO - something smells rotten in Eugene
OSU - got handled by UP, UP is not good . . .
ASU - Played the Gophs tough at home then lose to Utah Valley State . . . who is Utah Valley State?
Stanford - How are these guys playing so poorly?