Andy Dursin wrote:
>Finally, regarding the idea that Clarkson could be sent out West as one of the
>Top 4 Western Seeds: Honestly, folks, this is a ludicrous idea. I don't believe
>it's EVER happened (in this particular format) that a Top-4 Eastern squad has
>been sent West to play the competition there. As much as I respect Bruce Crowder
>and Lowell, there's no way that UML deserved to play in Albany last year as one
>of the Top 4 Eastern teams. The seeding was correct in that situation--they
>weren't sent out West because they don't draw enough of a fan base, but because
>they weren't one of the top 4 Eastern teams at that time.
 
This is flat out wrong.  Lowell *was* one of the top four Eastern seeded teams
last year.  The eastern seeds were, in order, BU, Harvard, UNH, UML, RPI, NU.
As the number 4 eastern seed, Lowell would not have been expected to cross
over; normally it would be the five and six seeds to cross over, namely NU
and RPI.  However, RPI, a lower seed that *should* have crossed over, was left
in the east to generate the ticket revenue at the Knick (which they did for
the opening round before losing).  After Lowell was moved out West, the seeding
was redone and Lowell became the number 3 seed in the Western tournament.
 
The same thing happened out West.  Wisconsin was originally the number 4 seed
out west and MSU was the sixth 6.  But since MSU, like RPI in the East, was
the Regionals host, they were left in the West and Wisconsin crossed over.
 
In both cases last year, the number four seeds (UML with weak fan support and
Wisconsin with rabid fan support) were unfairly crossed over to protect lower
seeded home teams.  This isn't opinion.  It's been documented.
 
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* Dave Hendrickson "Robo" [log in to unmask] *     *'     ##     '*
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