I heard the term Low Major for the first time the other day and it made me think. Is ETSU in the A-SUN conference a mid major program or are they really a Low Major program?
I believe we are starting to see a separation in the Mid Major conferences. Will we continue to see some Mid Major conferences getting multiple bids to the tournament? Will that cause a separation between those conferences and the ones like the A-Sun? I think so, what do you think?
While in the Southern, ETSU was a mid-major. Although the Southern was on the lower end of the Mid-Major status, it would have fit there. Mostly because ETSU, Davidson and Charleston (along with Chattanooga from time to time) produced teams that made it into the rankings and beat a major team from time to time.
I don't think that would be an apt description of the ASun. Other than a win by GWU over "I think it was Minnesota," I can't remember another big win in the conference. Big "close calls" don't count.
The A-Sun, OVC, SOCON, Southland, Horizon, MEAC, SWAC, Ivy, Big South, they are in the low major category, no matter what people want to believe about any of those leagues. Conferences such as MVC, CAA, WCC, MAC, etc... seem to really be in that mid-major category.
I think the Southern and A-Sun are both low major conferences that from time to time produce a mid major level team.
There are the Big 6 conferences.. those would be considered the Majors.
The next 10 or so would be what I call Mid Major conferences. Thats half the conferences. The other half I would say are low majors who have one or two really good teams but not the top to bottom depth of a true mid major conference.
Rod
The A-Sun (and SoCon, Big South, etc., etc) are both low majors. Period.
I'll give you that. This year, with the Southern around the 21st conference and the ASun the 29th (out of 31), they would both be mid majors.
However, until the past few years the Southern was usually around 16 or 17 in the list of conferences. When I used to follow the bucs in a big way (in the early/mid 90's), I would check Sagarin's ratings of conferences on a regular basis. The Southern was often right in the middle (I believe there were 30 conferences back then).
Sorry, I meant they would both be low majors.
Well, I am afraid that this is another bad sign for ETSU athletics. We pinned all of our hopes on being a basketball school and the only thing we seemed to have accomplished is losing ground to other schools our size.
Is there an official definition of a mid major ?
We have been ranked in the/a mid major poll before and played in the bracket buster. Both mid major traits.
Now if you are elgible for the mid major poll but do not make it, are you a low major ? Does it vary from year to year ? It seems to.
UT sucked in BB last year, but they didn't drop into mid major status. At least not officially.
I think we assume the middies are the CAA, MVC and so on. Those conferences who have better RPIs than ours and get more than one bid.
If we are low majors, then we should be "ranked" in a low major poll. to compare us. The best of the low majors.
Reminds me of the BCS debate in football, except that more schools are regarded as BCS like in BB.
Zakee and company were low majors playing like mid majors ? So they give you the honor of being ranked in the mid major poll if you have a good year and seat you a little higher in the Dance. But still a far cry from the CAA who will send at least 2 to the NCAA and never worry about the play in game. CAA on the verge of becoming a major if they keep it up. To me a Major would get 4 teams in every year.
Reasonable defintions to me:
Major 4 or more on a regular basis
Mid Major between 2 to 3 on average.
Low Major 1 (but dreaming of 2 during an ETSU glory year in the top ten)
Funny how Mids and Lows can make the top 10 in the AP. Overachievers.