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Wow to the OSU/UNC game. Not the result I expected, but I guess when the fog rolled in, the boys from Oregon felt right at home. The weather has been crazy, but cooler weather makes the experience more enjoyable.Rain today, low of 59. 

The guy fast asleep in the stands made my day.

TPM posted:

Wow to the OSU/UNC game. Not the result I expected, but I guess when the fog rolled in, the boys from Oregon felt right at home. The weather has been crazy, but cooler weather makes the experience more enjoyable.Rain today, low of 59. 

The guy fast asleep in the stands made my day.

The tv announcers had UNC winning it - "UNC has just six outs to go" - and then whoa boy, did OSU ever change that in two innings!

Coach_May posted:

Final 4 set and 3 of the teams from the SEC. 

I’ll admit I am a homer and I’m certain I’ll get blasted, but I think this confirms the argument of the best conference. Last year you had an all SEC final and this year 3 of final 4. I realize the parity in college baseball, but that even further supports the argument, IMHO.

I’m not saying that Oregon State won’t win, but Arkansas and Florida are EXTREMELY talented. I think Miss State is a little overmatched from a talent standpoint, but yet they figure out a way to survive. I expect OSU will ultimately win that bracket. Whomever wins the other bracket is going to give the Beavers all they want and then some. Will be fun to watch. If it comes down to OSU, UF and Arkansas, I can honestly say those are the 3 best teams this year. 

After saying all that, Miss State will probably win it all!

I won't be doing any blasting.  The SEC is a very, very talented conference.  I think by playing every weekend in a tough conference, in big stadiums, with crowds in attendance, prepares the SEC teams very well for the stage that is the CWS.  They get battle tested all spring and that is the best way to make a run for the national championship.  Not many "light/easy" weekends on the SEC conference schedule, or the conference tournament for that matter.

Last edited by 9and7dad
younggun posted:
Coach_May posted:

Final 4 set and 3 of the teams from the SEC. 

I’ll admit I am a homer and I’m certain I’ll get blasted, but I think this confirms the argument of the best conference. Last year you had an all SEC final and this year 3 of final 4. I realize the parity in college baseball, but that even further supports the argument, IMHO.

I’m not saying that Oregon State won’t win, but Arkansas and Florida are EXTREMELY talented. I think Miss State is a little overmatched from a talent standpoint, but yet they figure out a way to survive. I expect OSU will ultimately win that bracket. Whomever wins the other bracket is going to give the Beavers all they want and then some. Will be fun to watch. If it comes down to OSU, UF and Arkansas, I can honestly say those are the 3 best teams this year. 

After saying all that, Miss State will probably win it all!

One could argue the only reason there is only 3 sec teams in the final 4 is because of the way the supers pairings fell only 3 could make it. 

My ideal situation of the CWS is 2 teams, unknown to each other on the field, battling it out. 

 FL looked pooped out, Singer looked pooped as did the rest of the Gators. I missed the first game.

I think Mississippi has had its run, so an OSU/AK matchup in the finals is OK with me. 

 

younggun posted:
Coach_May posted:

Final 4 set and 3 of the teams from the SEC. 

I’ll admit I am a homer and I’m certain I’ll get blasted, but I think this confirms the argument of the best conference. Last year you had an all SEC final and this year 3 of final 4. I realize the parity in college baseball, but that even further supports the argument, IMHO.

I’m not saying that Oregon State won’t win, but Arkansas and Florida are EXTREMELY talented. I think Miss State is a little overmatched from a talent standpoint, but yet they figure out a way to survive. I expect OSU will ultimately win that bracket. Whomever wins the other bracket is going to give the Beavers all they want and then some. Will be fun to watch. If it comes down to OSU, UF and Arkansas, I can honestly say those are the 3 best teams this year. 

After saying all that, Miss State will probably win it all!

I think Oregon State is the best team, with as much/more talent than anyone, but Arkansas is in a better position to win it all.

The SEC is a great conference - no doubt.  But without getting into an argument, the process (RPIs, seedings, pairings...) seems to be set up a little better for them to have more chances to get teams there. Gotta get there to win it.

Given the overall historical success of teams West of the Mississippi vs. East of it, I'm not ready to hand the SEC the "best conference" crown.  Not saying they aren't, just not quite so clear to someone who has lived on both coasts and seen plenty of college baseball East to West.

justbaseball posted:
younggun posted:
Coach_May posted:

Final 4 set and 3 of the teams from the SEC. 

I’ll admit I am a homer and I’m certain I’ll get blasted, but I think this confirms the argument of the best conference. Last year you had an all SEC final and this year 3 of final 4. I realize the parity in college baseball, but that even further supports the argument, IMHO.

I’m not saying that Oregon State won’t win, but Arkansas and Florida are EXTREMELY talented. I think Miss State is a little overmatched from a talent standpoint, but yet they figure out a way to survive. I expect OSU will ultimately win that bracket. Whomever wins the other bracket is going to give the Beavers all they want and then some. Will be fun to watch. If it comes down to OSU, UF and Arkansas, I can honestly say those are the 3 best teams this year. 

After saying all that, Miss State will probably win it all!

I think Oregon State is the best team, with as much/more talent than anyone, but Arkansas is in a better position to win it all.

The SEC is a great conference - no doubt.  But without getting into an argument, the process (RPIs, seedings, pairings...) seems to be set up a little better for them to have more chances to get teams there. Gotta get there to win it.

Given the overall historical success of teams West of the Mississippi vs. East of it, I'm not ready to hand the SEC the "best conference" crown.  Not saying they aren't, just not quite so clear to someone who has lived on both coasts and seen plenty of college baseball East to West.

Why doesn't the Pac12 play for conference championship like every other conference does? Asked this before never got a real answer. The conference champion, regardless, gets an automatic bid. 

justbaseball posted:

Don’t know. Might be related to a lot of them being in quarters which means they’re in finals at that time. But I don’t know. 

Not every Pac 12 school is on the quarter system. I was surprised Cal isn’t when UCLA is. UCLA’s finals were from the 9th to the 15th. The tournament was already in Super Regionals. 

The problem is the regular seasons runs up to the week before regionals. The season schedule would have to be adjusted.

Last edited by RJM

It's too bad that the Pac 12 doesn't have a tourney.  

The unfortunate fact is that this year two Pac 12 teams really underperformed in the regionals. Others, like Arizona, Cal, and ASU just couldn't take advantage of talented rosters.   Maybe a Pac 12  tournament would help with that.  Also, as discussed here recently, the Big West only had one team in the bracket and it didn't have the kind of impact it usually has had.  

If one of the 3 surviving SEC teams wins the CWS it'll be hard to argue that they are the preeminent conference, at least this year.  If OSU wins, well, at least there's another side to the argument.

Last edited by JCG
justbaseball posted:
younggun posted:
Coach_May posted:

Final 4 set and 3 of the teams from the SEC. 

I’ll admit I am a homer and I’m certain I’ll get blasted, but I think this confirms the argument of the best conference. Last year you had an all SEC final and this year 3 of final 4. I realize the parity in college baseball, but that even further supports the argument, IMHO.

I’m not saying that Oregon State won’t win, but Arkansas and Florida are EXTREMELY talented. I think Miss State is a little overmatched from a talent standpoint, but yet they figure out a way to survive. I expect OSU will ultimately win that bracket. Whomever wins the other bracket is going to give the Beavers all they want and then some. Will be fun to watch. If it comes down to OSU, UF and Arkansas, I can honestly say those are the 3 best teams this year. 

After saying all that, Miss State will probably win it all!

I think Oregon State is the best team, with as much/more talent than anyone, but Arkansas is in a better position to win it all.

The SEC is a great conference - no doubt.  But without getting into an argument, the process (RPIs, seedings, pairings...) seems to be set up a little better for them to have more chances to get teams there. Gotta get there to win it.

Given the overall historical success of teams West of the Mississippi vs. East of it, I'm not ready to hand the SEC the "best conference" crown.  Not saying they aren't, just not quite so clear to someone who has lived on both coasts and seen plenty of college baseball East to West.

I can see your point about the setup in conference RPIs being a bit of a self fulfilling prophecy but that only rewards you if you win enough. Kentucky is a heck of a ball club and they were left out.

I don’t know about the rest of the SEC but Arkansas’ out of conference schedule was absolutely brutal.

The hogs played Arizona, Texas Tech, Texas, Dallas Baptist and Missouri State out of conference during the regular season.

They caught Texas Tech and Texas again in the post season plus South Carolina and Florida again as well.

 

hshuler posted:

No matter who wins the ‘ship, the SEC is the best conference. Not sure how anyone could argue otherwise. 

Oregon State is a very talented team, they are really fun to watch and maybe the best team in college baseball...but if we remove all biases, it’s clear which conference is best. 

Including this year and going back to 2008 in the CWS, the SEC has had a team in the championship series 12 times. Twice, during that time, it was an all SEC final.

Florida, LSU, Vanderbilt, Mississippi State, South Carolina and now Arkansas make up the list.

3 teams from the SEC East and now 3 from the West. If Miss State wins today, it will be 13 appearances since 2008 and the 3rd  time for an all SEC final.

 

There will always be more  SEC teams because there are more SEC teams!

Kentucky would have only gotten in only if they won the conference. With a 13-17 conference record and a 31 RPI it wasn't going to happen.  That's the nature of the beast in the SEC, 

I subscribe to the theory, the better competition you face, the better your team becomes. Arkansas certainly is that example!

 

hshuler posted:

No matter who wins the ‘ship, the SEC is the best conference. Not sure how anyone could argue otherwise. 

Oregon State is a very talented team, they are really fun to watch and maybe the best team in college baseball...but if we remove all biases, it’s clear which conference is best. 

I've watched a LOT (as in over 1,000 games) of baseball on both coasts.  I've been into the heart of the SEC for a regional (great atmosphere!) with an SEC team that made it to Omaha vs. a 3rd place Pac12 team and a 1st place ACC team.

Its not clear to me.

Last edited by justbaseball
justbaseball posted:
hshuler posted:

No matter who wins the ‘ship, the SEC is the best conference. Not sure how anyone could argue otherwise. 

Oregon State is a very talented team, they are really fun to watch and maybe the best team in college baseball...but if we remove all biases, it’s clear which conference is best. 

I've watched a LOT (as in over 1,000 games) of baseball on both coasts.  I've been into the heart of the SEC for a regional (great atmosphere!) with an SEC team that made it to Omaha vs. a 3rd place Pac12 team and a 1st place ACC team.

Its not clear to me.

Point taken. 

 Idont have a dog in this fight.

It's very interesting to me that OSU really didn't play their best until the cooler weather set in.

Arkansas absolutely had the better schedule vs RPI and showed a willingness to play west coast teams away and at home.  There is a reason why they are the #1 team in the SEC. 

I just wish the Pac12 would have a conference championship the way all other conferences do.

Either way should be a great final series. 

 

A few more thoughts on this....

Its hard for me to root for Oregon State.  Their fans, by far, treat opposing teams' parents and players the worst I've seen anywhere - either coast.  OTOH, its an incredible environment if you play on their team, but as an opposing family - I prefer Ole Miss, Baylor, UNC, etc... and even Texas to OSU even though all of them have terrific home team environments as well.

I came around on Pat Casey, who I didn't particularly like much either (guilt by association?) - until he did something incredibly classy relative to our younger son.  Showed me something I couldn't observe from the stands and so I do root for him.

My wife's family originates from Arkansas - they are solid Razorback fans, although my wife is close to neutral on them.   And I agree - they had the toughest schedule in America this year.  (She still can't root for OSU - due in part to many personal encounters with their fans in their stadium over 2 sons/8 years). 

So I'm probably 'ok' with either team winning.  While they were the number-1 seed, I couldn't see how Florida could win it this year - they just looked vulnerable to me starting with their regional - and that finally caught up with them.  Washington was a little fortunate to get to Omaha, but they competitively lost their first game 1-0 in the 9th to Miss. State.  Stanford (number-2 seed) was as good as any of these teams, but I could see their loss coming as they tailed off at the end of the year.

Its about being hot at the right time as much as anything - however, I do feel like the two best teams are in the finals.

BTW, I do think Arizona and Cal had good cases to be in this tournament.  If that conference was in the SE or East Coast, I bet they woulda been in.  Likewise, put the SEC or ACC on the West Coast and they likely get two less teams due in part to the way the RPI is calculated and the fact that their games are rarely seen on the East Coast (heck, I don't even stay up to watch them - I have both the Pac12 and SEC networks).  Washington had the lowest RPI for any at-large team, yet they made it.  While I said they were somewhat fortunate, I didn't say they were lucky.  They were a very good team.  Illustrates a little bit of the RPI problem.

Last edited by justbaseball

The way it was explained to me, there are 4 ways a team can make the 64 field. 40 wins,  under 40 RPI, top 25 ranking all season or automatic bid by winning the championship. You must show the committee a winning record in your conference. You can't make the field unless you win your championship if lacking in conference wins and I think that is where the Pac 12, loses out. 

I agree about Florida, who had important players injured down the stretch. They didn't really struggled as the #1 team, but I don't think it was their year. 

The SEC and will always have the most teams, and of course the conference with the most teams with home field advantage. They also have the most fans in attendance1

 

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