At 4:25 AM -0600 3/22/98, Adam Wodon wrote:
>I would say that it's possible Yale would stay East, sending UNH
>instead --- just flip-flop UNH from 5E to 5W -- and Yale from 5W to 5E.
 
The numbers rule, except in special circumstances, that's what I've been
hearing for the past several years. So UNH wins over Yale on the criteria
compaison: UNH wins the tie-breaker on rating.
 
So that's why Yale gets sent west. Reward the higher ranked eastern team by
letting it stay in the east.
 
The only special circumstance I could imagine would be attendance. Is Yale
a significantly better draw than UNH in Albany? I do not believe so.
 
>This prevents a second-round HEA matchup between UNH and BU ...
 
The question of the day: is avoiding *1* possible *second round*
intra-conference matchup worth messing with the numbers and sending UNH
west instead of Yale? I could see if this resolved a *first round*
intra-conference game, then it would be an easier choice. Or, if it fixed
*2* intra-conference second round possibilties at the same time.
 
But by sending UNH west instead of Yale, you compromise for a small gain.
 
Exactly the same for sending OSU east and keeping Wisconsin in the west.
You avoid 1 possible second round CCHA matchup, but you compromise the
numbers.
 
In the past, the committee has not hesitated to shuffle seeds within a
region a bit to avoid intra-conference games, especially in the first
round. But sending the "wrong" team to the other region is a bit more
serious.
 
Last year, attendance was a major factor for assigning teams to regions. I
do not see that as a concern this year. With MSU and Michigan in the west,
it will easily be sold out. Are *any* teams in the tourney an especially
good draw in Albany?? They all seem like equally good draws.
 
Then last year teams were shuffled within the regions to avoid conference
match-ups. That is not needed this year. *I see no significant reasons to
deviate from the numbers this year*. You get some small gains, but not big
enough to justify ignoring "the gospel", the criteria comaprisons and other
numbers.
 
We'll see. I told you what I would do if I was in charge. Of course, I am
not. I am not trying to predict what the committee will do: that is risky
business. My way may not be the "right" way (ie committee's way), but it
will be the *best*. (^:
 
Watch ESPN2 at 12:30 ET (2 hours from now) to find out! We'll see if the
committee views the numbers as gospel as much as I do.
 
Keith
 
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