Reply to Steve Weisfeldt:
 
>Greg Ambrose wrote:
>
>> To deny the the 12th ( or 13th) ranked team in the country a bid to throw
>a
>> bone to Quinnipiac is an injustice to that team which has proved it is
>> worthy throughout the year by playing and defeating superior competition.
>
>Maybe I'm wrong, but I don't think anyone is suggesting that the committee
>"throw a bone"  to QC.  They're simply saying that given the currently
>stated criteria, Quinnipiac might deserve a bid.  Right or wrong (and I'm
>not sure I agree with some of the criteria), the numbers, as has been all
>stated before, are what are used.  IF QC qualifies on this, the committee
>can't just change things to avoid letting them in.  Rather, it should force
>the NCAA to reevaluate what the criteria is and make the adjustments for
>future seasons.
 
The problem with this whole thread is the infatuation with the numbers.
Lets talk about the play on the ice.  Even those advocating for QC to be
included cannot point to one game that reinforces their position and shows
that they deserve a spot.  The Frozen Four (tm) is supposed to pit the top
12 schools in the country and to have one of them pushed aside to include
QC does constitute "throwing a bone" to a non-competitive team.  As I said,
let them play some teams from the established conferences and, if the win,
they will deserve whatever they get.  Until then it is a "no" for me.
>
>As far as denying a team that is ranked 12th or 13th a bid, my response is
>that what happens sometimes.  Look at the NCAA hoop tourney.  Think those
>are the 64th top ranked teams in there?  Not a chance.  They're the 64 teams
>that satisfied some criteria that the NCAA has put forth.  A comparison that
>could be made to Quinnipiac might be a school like Florida A&M.  They're in
>a conference that probably doesn't play any "tough" schools and certainly
>wouldn't rank in the top 64 teams in the country.  And is the last place in
>the ACC (for example) much, much better they FAM?  Most definitely.  But who
>gets in?  Florida A & M did since they satisfied whatever criteria they had
>to, winning their conference tourney.
 
What has basketball have to do with hockey? It's two different tournaments
played for two different reasons, with entry based on different criteria.
However, FAM does not play ACC teams as far as I know and, I would imagine,
it would be pretty difficult for them to schedule more than a couple a year
if they even wanted to.  Hockey is a little different.  There aren't 300+
D1 schools like there are in basketball, there are only 50.  And hockey
plays more regular season games than basketball.  It should be a little
easier to get a couple of established teams on the schedule and, if they
beat them, then their argument may be a little more   valid.
 
Greg Ambrose
>
 
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