This message is primarily for Div II and III fans but I am echoing it to the Div I list because I think there is a cross interest. If you haven't been following it, there is a lot of confusion over why Bemidji State was invited to the big dance in preference to Alabama-Huntsville. In Division I, as we are all aware from last year, there is a formula for choosing the 12 apostles. I guess that doesn't apply to Div II or III. Consider the YAM2 and RPI indices (with my understanding that the RPI index is very similar to the one the NCAA uses): YAM2 RPI W-L% Norm. YAM2 Rank Rank Sched. Metric 1 1 Mercyhurst 0.913 0.920 0.840 2 3 Fredonia 0.821 0.912 0.748 3 4 Middlebury 0.864 0.861 0.744 4 2 Ala-Huntsville 0.722 0.979 0.707 5 6 UW-Superior 0.741 0.912 0.676 6 9 Bemidji 0.767 0.877 0.673 7T 7 Salem State 0.738 0.901 0.665 7T 12 Bowdoin 0.771 0.862 0.665 Notice that Alabama Huntsville is well ahead of Bemidji State by both ranking mechanisms. The *only* thing that BS has going for it is winning the NCHA title. Furthermore, what polls I have seen have consistently ranked AH ahead of BS. Don't get me wrong - I think BS will prove a worthy opponent to Mercyhurst (although I think Mercyhurst will win), but I cannot see the logic of the selection committee's decision. But what bothers me more is that it is done behind closed doors. Question 1: WHO ARE THESE PEOPLE? I believe the committee should be listed by name and affiliation. There is no room for anonymity. As Harry Truman would have said, if you can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchen. Question 2: What criteria did they use in making the invitation. Both the schools and fans deserve an explanation. Was there some wierd formula? If so, why not make that formula public? If its all opinion ("Well, I think BS is ..."), then we deserve to know that, too. A less egregious situation occured in Div III in terms of ranking of Western teams. The logic is hard to follow. Why do we allow these decisions to be made behind closed doors in star chambers without holding the decision makers accountable in some fashion? When odd or seemingly random decisions are made not giving such an account merely leads to suspicion that something underhanded was going on. As for Division I, we went through all this with CC last year. Some changes were made (closing the barn door ...), but I still haven't seen a list of the names of the selection committee nor the exact formula used to make the selections of teams that don't get an automatic bid. Its time for accountability. I have absolutely zero power to influence the decision makers, but maybe there are some people on the list with an ear of somebody who eventually can have some influence. Ah, venting! Its so much fun. Tom Rowe Internet: [log in to unmask] Department of Psychology *********************************** U. of Wisconsin - Stevens Point Home of Division III National Go Point! Champions '89, '90, '91, & '93