State of the Confrence XII

#1
TXA&M07

TXA&M07

Roll the dice....
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Sep 14, 2007
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#1
With the confrence games winding down, a more clear picture is being presented and I for one am surprised by a few things.

#1. Baylor. If for some strange reason these kids happen to pull it off and get into the tournament, a new media darling will be born. I for one dont think they can but to overcome what they have, and to do so in a school where, lets face it, there really isnt much to cheer about in men's athletics? Amazing. I think that the NIT is probablly more forseeable for them but none the less, I think "Coach of the Year" honors might need to be considered IF they get to dance.

#2 The battle for the confrence lead. At more than one point, the big 12 had 4 or more teams in the top 25. Be it the AP poll or otherwise, it is obvious. Big 12 basketball has gotten better. Schools that have Kansas addresses are not the only teams to look for come March.

#3 There is still an opportunity for the confrence championship to be decided between 2 (4) loss teams. While many of you may not see much value in that, I present to you this. This confrence is now becoming more competitive from top to bottom. Like many other confrences, we have weaker programs that have weak teams. IE: OSU, Mizzou, and ISU. However, the "middle" of the road teams are now not just over 500, they are in the top 25! I think it says a lot about the developement of these programs and the national attention they are now getting. We dont just play football in the southwest.

I hope the best for an exciting end of the season. I certainly have my favorites but at the end of the day, it does look nice to see the Big 12 well represented. Hopefully the Aggies will be apart of another speacial tournament run. We will see. Your thoughts if you'd like.

gig em and

good day
 
#2
#2
usually Mizzou and Ok St have been better than they are this year, so that's a bit of a hit to the conf. but overall, between KS, KSU, TX and A&M and as you said Baylor, the big 12 is pretty darn good.

especially at the top. TX and KS have secured their place atop the conf. and KSU and A&M are not far behind.

if i were rating conferences, i'd probably have it:
1. big east. too many good teams. some will say since there is no "single" power, it brings it down. i for one look at G'town, Uconn, Syracuse, Pitt, Nova, Notre Dame, L'ville etc....and this conf. is deep. top to bottom it's the best league.
2. Pac 10. UCLA, WSU, Wash, Stanford, AZ all quality teams and minus a team or two gives the Big east a run for the money. (i have no quams with those that put the pac 10 at 1 and big east at 2).
3. Big 12....for all the reasons already stated.
4. ACC...Duke and UNC are the only two "real" powers, but that's enough at this point in these rankings. they have two capable of making the final four and getting 1 seeds. and as far as i can see, the only conf. that could potentially have two one seeds within it's own league.
5. SEC...After Tennessee, it gets kind of jumbled. each week there seems to be another "next" best team in the league. one week 5 teams are ranked, the next only 2. the league is better than most perceived at the beginning of the season, but still inconsistent in the middle of the pack. Vandy, MSU, Ole Miss, FL and Arkansas all at one point or another have had flashes of greatness and absolutely dismal performances. KY making a run at the end of the season could bolster the league's standings, but i don't want the SEC to move up a notch or two bad enough for KY to matter.:)
6. big 10. Wisconsin, Indiana and Michigan St are all kind of the same. Purdue adds some depth, but in large part, there's just not a lot there. Minnesota has been a "nice" story.

jmo.
 
#3
#3
Your rankings of the confrence impress me. I see your points presented but I would not have though someone with other ties would rank the big 12 confrence 3rd overall. I'd say this year has been one of the first years that argument would be presented by those outside the confrence. Impressive.
 
#4
#4
well, in fairness, it's kind of easy. competitive depth is important to me when talking conferences. i'm not one to look at the top of the league and that's it. otherwise, you'd have people touting C-USA.

it's hard to argue the quality of depth in the pac 10 and Big east. the ACC and SEC are kind of in the same boat. you pretty much know who the 1 or 2 best teams are, and then after that, you're kind of scratching your head.

that's not hte case with the big 12. they have two really good teams and 2-3 others right behind that aren't that far off. so for me, it was pretty easy. they're not as good as the pac 10 or Big east, but definteily better, quality of depth wise, than the ACC and SEC.
 
#5
#5
If someone else can pick it back up next year in the SEC, I see the SEC and Big 12 very comparable in Basketball. The SEC will need someone like Florida or UK to really step it up. Out of those two, I think it is a toss up on who can rebound/rebuild. Tennessee however looks good for now.
 
#6
#6
TXVOL07 said:
If someone else can pick it back up next year in the SEC, I see the SEC and Big 12 very comparable in Basketball. The SEC will need someone like Florida or UK to really step it up. Out of those two, I think it is a toss up on who can rebound/rebuild. Tennessee however looks good for now.
Click to expand...
i don't know enough about the big12 and its youth this year to say one way or the other, but i would assume that TX, KS, A&M should all be pretty good. KSU? not sure. OK state and Mizzou could bounce back, but again, i wouldn't be the one making that assertion, cause i have no idea.

as for the SEC...TN will be returning everyone save Lofton and J. Smith. two big losses, but there's enough coming back to think that we'll still be pretty darn good. KY will get better and FL next year could be the team to beat. ARK gets young quick, Ole Miss, MSU will be decent as well. the EAst should again be where it's at with KY, TN and FL all being competitive. the West....not sure. it may take a surprise team or two like this year with Ole Miss breaking out for the conf. to have some real depth. GA, SC, LSU all still searching. Bama and Auburn kind of in hte middle....
 
#7
#7
I think when you break down the Big 12 you look first at the "regulars" ie Kansas and t.u..I feel certain that the guards at t.u. will keep them in the hunt throughout the season and they recruit well in Austin. As for Kansas, its a basketball school that pretended to play football this year for a good while. With that said, they should have benefitted from the success of the Athletic program this past year. It wouldnt surprise me if they had several big recruits to fill their holes next year.

The Pat Knight era wont be pleasant for a good while. He cant recruit without his old man and who in the hell wants to live in Lubbock? As for the likes of OU, Mizzou, and OSU- they are football schools that are much more concerned with on the field games rather than on the court games. OSU basketball is in the dumps this year so I went ahead and included them. Besides, Osu is basically OU Junior College.

In concerning my Aggies, we need leadership. It will be a sad day when the likes of Carter, Jones, and Davis step out. Sloan is getting better but he is no Acie Law. Jordan will be a force to be reckoned with, but he is young, abitious, and who knows how long he'll stay. Besides, there is a lot of developement to be done for him to continue at the next level. The leadership will have to come from Turgeon untill he can mold one of his kids into "that guy".

As for the SEC, let me just say that I know I am putting my neck out there to take a ton of crap from everyone, but I am Billy Gillispie fan. I know he might make some weird/wrong/contreversial choices off the court, but he's a good coach. Once he gets "his" guys in there, they will be tough. I am betting it takes 2 more years for us to see the results. I just hope those nut balls give him a chance to do so.

Florida will be back sooner than later which will make LG happy. I know he has been biting his lip this year but I just dont see them not recruiting well throughout the southeast with their recent success.
 
#8
#8
i don't think anyone will be counting UK or FL out for the long term. This was a good year for us to be good, i'll put it that way. by all rights, the SEC E should be a three headed monster in basketball just like it is in football.
 
#9
#9
Well, it has been a few days since I updated this thread but here goes.

The latest from the DOZEN:

It appears relativly obvious that t.u. is going win the conference and for some reason make quite a stir on the national scene. It sickens me to think back to only a few short weeks ago when they were absolutely destroyed by my Aggies, only to go on a bit of a tear since. The win against the mighty Vols allowed for this team to look better, but the destruction of the confrence one by one since has proven to be more of a feather for the t-sips to put in their hat. It makes me sick to think that that horrible, puke brownish orange color is going to be shown on my HDTV during sportcenter for the next few days.

On to numero 6 in the AP. Kansas is at 24-3 and holding strong to their national ranking despite some severe trauma suffered in the past few weeks. An upset alert was sounded but no one answered if you ask me. The fact of the matter is, at one time this team had tremendous momentum and looked to be a sure player for a battle for the top team overall in the tourney. Now it appears that the tide has changed a bit and it will be an accomplishment to win the confrence out right.

Regardless of the fact that my aggies have looked a good mess as of late, this is a telling sign that things have changed. At the bottom under the phrase, "Others recieving votes" you'll still see aTm. Why? What have they done lately other than lose home games? What have they done lately other than play uncontrolled basketball? It is not the coach that is the issue, this is on the players. No leaders, no clutch shooting, weak post play, and laxadasial defense. It is disheartning to hear the speculation already arise about Turgeon's capabilities. I assure you he is aware of this team's potential and is equally disgusted as I appear to you now.

In short, those that are still thinking that this aTm team deserves a shot in the big tourney, I admire you. I am a pretty darn big homer when it comes to my ags, but at the way we are going, the Not In Tournament tournament is looking pretty good.

Baylor, Okie, and tech are all 6-6 and out of those, ..........ahem.......I'll take Baylor. I know that might seem crazy but there is something going on in Waco that cant be explained and it does not involve the Branch Davidiens, or Janet Reno. I expect to see them finish the confrence out stronger than the other two above mentioned.

To cap it all off, I give you this. We went from a conference that boasted 5 teams in the top 25. Now only two remain and as I said before, it appears that those that were good historically, are good currently. It may be a close one but the certainty of aTm making its 3rd consecutive tourney is very up in the air to me right now. I can only admire those at the top, hope like hell we pull this thing out, and pray that those dirty hippies in Austin get knocked out sooner than later.

Your thoughts?
 
#13
#13
7 and 6 now. Welcome to Reed Arena Pat. You might want to call you pop after last (knight).

gig em.
 
#14
#14
I'll be brief this week.

aTm destroys Pat Knight then turns around 3 days later and,

aTm gets punked by the Okies who look to be in the tourney now.

Tech gets destroyed by the largest margin in big dozen history by the machine that is Kansas.

t.u. loses a game by 3, and somehow drops 4 spots.

and oh yeah, Baylor looks like they are gonna get in instead of aTm.

I only see 5 teams out of the Big12 getting in and right now, aTm is not one of them.

Last thing,
the Big 12 is getting hosed by the national media and it is unfair. This is one of the top two confrences in the NCAA. Voters, writers, ect, get your heads straight.
 
#15
#15
Latest installment:


Kansas is fast if yall have not noticed. Really really really fast if you ask me. I see them doing quite well in our tourney and maybe even upsetting some folks in Austin.

I also think that it will take 2 wins in the big 12 tourney inorder for the Aggies to get in now. I see us beating Iowa State fairly well and then matching up against K-State.

As for who is in, the obvious front runners of the 12 and then Baylor :swoon3:, K-State because of one stinking player, OK (sadly) and maybe ....maybe aTm.

Out of those, I think OK makes an early exit followed by Baylor.

Turgeon has a lot to do in the locker room if he wants to A. Get in the NCAA, and B. Stay in the NCAA.

As for those that think the Not Invited Tournament is unacceptable, I say hogwash. It has been said around these parts that that would be terrible. I suppose those same people did not watch aggie basketball 5-6 years ago. 500 in this league is not always great, but this is a darn fine group of teams come to find out. We will see soon enough.
 
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