This report also mentions that BYU is also looking at opting out:

https://thespun.com/college-hoops/report...tournament

Well, that’s fine I guess. I just don’t want to see teams try this during normalcy. Sorry, you’re dropping seeds.

(02-17-2021 12:31 AM)esayem Wrote:  Well, that’s fine I guess. I just don’t want to see teams try this during normalcy. Sorry, you’re dropping seeds.

Gonzaga won't drop a seed line this year- they'll still be a 1 seed.

Would the automatic bid still be in effect? We could see this become a widespread trend quickly around the country?

If Gonzaga and BYU don't play in the WCC Tournament, the NCAA shouldn't recognize the WCC Tournament champion as their champion. That's clearly abuse of the system. The WCC probably won't do it but they should just cancel their tournament altogether if Gonzaga and BYU doesn't want to play it. If Gonzaga doesn't play but BYU does, I might be OK with it but that's pushing it. If one of the teams upsets BYU you can argue they earned a spot.

Yeah, if the Zags don't play the conference shouldn't get an autobid. Clearly gaming the system.

(02-17-2021 07:56 AM)mturn017 Wrote:  Yeah, if the Zags don't play the conference shouldn't get an autobid. Clearly gaming the system.

Or, the NCAA could simply say that any team that opts out of its conference tournament is ineligible for the NCAAT. Why penalize St Mary's for something Gonzaga chooses to do?

(02-17-2021 06:45 AM)schmolik Wrote:  If Gonzaga and BYU don't play in the WCC Tournament, the NCAA shouldn't recognize the WCC Tournament champion as their champion. That's clearly abuse of the system. The WCC probably won't do it but they should just cancel their tournament altogether if Gonzaga and BYU doesn't want to play it. If Gonzaga doesn't play but BYU does, I might be OK with it but that's pushing it. If one of the teams upsets BYU you can argue they earned a spot.

They said last Friday that it's up to the conference to determine the autobid procedure. There is nothing that the NCAA can do about it. They have to take Gonzaga.

(02-17-2021 08:16 AM)ken d Wrote:  

(02-17-2021 07:56 AM)mturn017 Wrote:  Yeah, if the Zags don't play the conference shouldn't get an autobid. Clearly gaming the system.

Or, the NCAA could simply say that any team that opts out of its conference tournament is ineligible for the NCAAT. Why penalize St Mary's for something Gonzaga chooses to do?

Everyone - we're not getting any "fire and brimstone" responses from the NCAA this year. Anyone that thinks that's happening is going to be sorely mistaken. Ohio State made the CFP this year only playing 6 regular season games and the powers that be didn't bat an eyelash. No one is excluding the possible #1 overall seed. For the purposes of this particular season where we have very clearly defined top 2 teams (Gonzaga and Baylor), Gonzaga basically has the power here to whatever it wants.

That being said, the original report seems like more of an "internal weighing and discussions" exercise (which all ADs do regularly) as opposed to being anything close to a decision, so my guess is that Gonzaga and BYU end up going to the WCC Tournament as normal.

(02-17-2021 07:56 AM)mturn017 Wrote:  Yeah, if the Zags don't play the conference shouldn't get an autobid. Clearly gaming the system.

In fairness, the system deserves to be gamed. Having preliminary brackets to mimic what the CFP does is just asking for this kind of trouble. We will see it during "normalcy" too, as a result.

(02-17-2021 08:42 AM)Frank the Tank Wrote:  

(02-17-2021 08:16 AM)ken d Wrote:  

(02-17-2021 07:56 AM)mturn017 Wrote:  Yeah, if the Zags don't play the conference shouldn't get an autobid. Clearly gaming the system.

Or, the NCAA could simply say that any team that opts out of its conference tournament is ineligible for the NCAAT. Why penalize St Mary's for something Gonzaga chooses to do?

Everyone - we're not getting any "fire and brimstone" responses from the NCAA this year. Anyone that thinks that's happening is going to be sorely mistaken. Ohio State made the CFP this year only playing 6 regular season games and the powers that be didn't bat an eyelash. No one is excluding the possible #1 overall seed. For the purposes of this particular season where we have very clearly defined top 2 teams (Gonzaga and Baylor), Gonzaga basically has the power here to whatever it wants.

That being said, the original report seems like more of an "internal weighing and discussions" exercise (which all ADs do regularly) as opposed to being anything close to a decision, so my guess is that Gonzaga and BYU end up going to the WCC Tournament as normal.

The NCAA explicitly does not govern the CFP.

Imagine an NCAA tournament where every “lock” opted out of their conference tournament.

(02-17-2021 08:43 AM)quo vadis Wrote:  

(02-17-2021 07:56 AM)mturn017 Wrote:  Yeah, if the Zags don't play the conference shouldn't get an autobid. Clearly gaming the system.

In fairness, the system deserves to be gamed. Having preliminary brackets to mimic what the CFP does is just asking for this kind of trouble. We will see it during "normalcy" too, as a result.

Yes, absolutely. In the words of Ice-T, "Don't hate the player, hate the game."

If there's a loophole exposed, then it's up to the NCAA to address it next season as opposed to making up rules on the fly.

(02-17-2021 08:44 AM)Nerdlinger Wrote:  

(02-17-2021 08:42 AM)Frank the Tank Wrote:  

(02-17-2021 08:16 AM)ken d Wrote:  

(02-17-2021 07:56 AM)mturn017 Wrote:  Yeah, if the Zags don't play the conference shouldn't get an autobid. Clearly gaming the system.

Or, the NCAA could simply say that any team that opts out of its conference tournament is ineligible for the NCAAT. Why penalize St Mary's for something Gonzaga chooses to do?

Everyone - we're not getting any "fire and brimstone" responses from the NCAA this year. Anyone that thinks that's happening is going to be sorely mistaken. Ohio State made the CFP this year only playing 6 regular season games and the powers that be didn't bat an eyelash. No one is excluding the possible #1 overall seed. For the purposes of this particular season where we have very clearly defined top 2 teams (Gonzaga and Baylor), Gonzaga basically has the power here to whatever it wants.

That being said, the original report seems like more of an "internal weighing and discussions" exercise (which all ADs do regularly) as opposed to being anything close to a decision, so my guess is that Gonzaga and BYU end up going to the WCC Tournament as normal.

The NCAA explicitly does not govern the CFP.

Correct, but the institutions that control the NCAA also control the CFP.

The point is that no one is locking out a team that has a legit shot at winning the National Championship. That's just not happening. They're moving hell and highwater to hold this NCAA Tournament in one metro area for TV purposes so they sure as heck aren't going to lock out one of the biggest TV draws in Gonzaga (a school that clearly deserves to be there on merit, anyway).

what I think is so funny is the people complaining a lot about it are from P5 schools. How can Gonzaga rig this against us?

(02-17-2021 08:46 AM)BePcr07 Wrote:  Imagine an NCAA tournament where every “lock” opted out of their conference tournament.

... and some conferences might actually encourage that, as it could help bubble teams get in to the big dance, not having to face the top team.

(02-17-2021 08:50 AM)Frank the Tank Wrote:  

(02-17-2021 08:44 AM)Nerdlinger Wrote:  

(02-17-2021 08:42 AM)Frank the Tank Wrote:  

(02-17-2021 08:16 AM)ken d Wrote:  

(02-17-2021 07:56 AM)mturn017 Wrote:  Yeah, if the Zags don't play the conference shouldn't get an autobid. Clearly gaming the system.

Or, the NCAA could simply say that any team that opts out of its conference tournament is ineligible for the NCAAT. Why penalize St Mary's for something Gonzaga chooses to do?

Everyone - we're not getting any "fire and brimstone" responses from the NCAA this year. Anyone that thinks that's happening is going to be sorely mistaken. Ohio State made the CFP this year only playing 6 regular season games and the powers that be didn't bat an eyelash. No one is excluding the possible #1 overall seed. For the purposes of this particular season where we have very clearly defined top 2 teams (Gonzaga and Baylor), Gonzaga basically has the power here to whatever it wants.

That being said, the original report seems like more of an "internal weighing and discussions" exercise (which all ADs do regularly) as opposed to being anything close to a decision, so my guess is that Gonzaga and BYU end up going to the WCC Tournament as normal.

The NCAA explicitly does not govern the CFP.

Correct, but the institutions that control the NCAA also control the CFP.

The point is that no one is locking out a team that has a legit shot at winning the National Championship. That's just not happening. They're moving hell and highwater to hold this NCAA Tournament in one metro area for TV purposes so they sure as heck aren't going to lock out one of the biggest TV draws in Gonzaga (a school that clearly deserves to be there on merit, anyway).

That's very true. The worst punishment that might be handed down for skipping a conference tourney might be along the lines of ineligible for being a #1 seed in the NCAAT.

I've been an Indiana Hoosier fan for many years and recall the days that Coach R. M. Knight contended the winners of Big Ten tournament should not be the automatic rep of the league in the NCAA tourney. He argued such an arrangement cheapened the regular season and minimized the achievement of the Big Ten regular season champion — and I agree. I would be OK with seeing the end of post-season league tourneys but realize that's not going to happen.

Send Gonzaga to the NIT

(02-17-2021 09:26 AM)bill dazzle Wrote:  I've been an Indiana Hoosier fan for many years and recall the days that Coach R. M. Knight contended the winners of Big Ten tournament should not be the automatic rep of the league in the NCAA tourney. He argued such an arrangement cheapened the regular season and minimized the achievement of the Big Ten regular season champion — and I agree. I would be OK with seeing the end of post-season league tourneys but realize that's not going to happen.

My problem with this is twofold. Unless you're in a conference that does a double round robin with each playing all the others H&H then someone will have a scheduling advantage for regular season play. And second, I loathe the idea of an NCAA bid being awarded based on some tiebreaker rule.

Regular season championship should get you a #1 seed in the conference tournament and an NIT autobid. In March, you win and move on.