For starters, it's great to be back posting on the blog and I'm glad to see everyone is happy I returned. Hahaha. That's a joke. I got torched by posters on my last entry.
I was surprised that "Down year in the WAC," got as much attention as it did. I wasn't knocking the Aggies. They have been playing better basketball lately. As they should. They've been beating lesser teams. If they lost at home to Fresno State or Louisiana Tech, people on this blog would be outraged. And we've discussed the win at Reno. That was a great win. Fullerton was good too. Hey, they're playing better. I'm glad to see it. Last year, if I recall, they played strong down the stretch as well. That's a credit to them.
But do people really think the WAC is a strong conference? I mean, lets give a quick rundown of the teams. Nevada: I think there's potential here, but still having a down year in my opinion. Utah State: I like them, but I feel they're a bit overrated. The Aggies: Playing better and have talent. Recent streak good but, for the most part, against teams they should have handled. If it was the other way around, people would be outraged. Boise State: Strange team that I don't think is as good as last year. Fresno State: Up and down team with a bad record. San Jose State: Not good. Hawaii: Very mediocre.
I will give you this, Idaho and Louisiana Tech are much better. The Vandals are an entirely different team from a season ago and Tech is much more competitive. I don't think anyone would want to face either one of them when the WAC Tourney tips off.
The bottom line is that NMSU just has to keep winning. At Louisiana Tech tonight will be a tough game. La. Tech is a tough team to travel to no matter they're record and they are better this year. They will also have their last meeting with the Aggies on their mind which was an absolutely crazy game that could have gone either way.
I still think NMSU wins tonight. They're playing better ball and with confidence.
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You just aren't getting it Teddy. There are measurable ways to define how a conference is doing that are better than your eyeballs. Using those instruments the WAC is better than it was last year. Simple enough?
I don't think Utah State is overrated. I think they are a very solid team with great coaching. They will win the WAC Tourney with no problem.
Teddy. Compare the WAC RPI to last years. The WAC was like 15 or 16. The WAC RPI now is ranked 11th.
Here's my take. There are three reasons the WAC struggles to get noticed as one of the better mid-major conferences, although I do think they are consistently underrated.
1. Every year the conference overschedules (particularly NMSU). They get tough games to boost the SOS, but they are unwinnable (i.e. Texas, UCLA, USC, Kansas). So with no real "good wins" aside from splitting with UNM or UTEP, they beat up on the Austin Peay's of the world, but are left with no real resume outside of conference, and the RPI shows it.
2. The turnover and the shennanigans have really hurt this conference. With clearinghouse troubles, arrests, suspensions, transfers, some leaving for the pros, the conference seems to be in a constant flux of starting over. So the teams peak late in the season after getting some games in together, but they're already knocked out of the at-large bid contention.
3. Parody. This conference is not like the WCC where Gonzaga & SMU both go 13-1 in conference because they split their home & home. These teams genuinely beat up on each other. Last year 4 teams ended up 12-4 tied for 1st. So with the above mentioned non-conference schedule woes, medicre records, along with no great non-conference wins equals disaster.
So in summary, I think the conference is underrated slightly, but instability and poor scheduling contribute greatly. Of course if they get wins against the Pac-10 or Big 10 schools, then it flips it upside down. Pretty big risk though.
~JL
If we cant beat a mediocre team like La Tech on the road how can we expect to pull of three, two or even one win against a tough Idaho team in Reno?
GS
I think the WAC is definitely having a down year. Utah State is a vastly overrated team that really hasn't beaten anyone. If they don't win the WAC Tourney there's no way they get an at-large berth. And a conference RPI of 11 is pretty lame, if you ask me. That basically makes the WAC the fifth best non-BCS conference. That's kind of sad. They may be having a better overall year than last year, but that's because the teams at the bottom have gotten remarkably better while the teams at the top have gotten worse.
Damn right you got (deservedly) raked accros the coals!
Anyone can beat anybody in this conference.
Used to be that NMSU, Reno, and Utah St. would be the top teams and there was a dramatic drop off.
This year, the league has a ton of youth and that has contributed to more evenly played games.
All I can say is that the WAC will be THEE Mid Major conference for the next couple of of years!!
fifth best non bcs conference? this is basketball season...
GS
BCS is for FB, Mid Major is for BB!
Get it right Loblowmaniac.
Not to mention there are a lot more basketball conferences than football conferences.
Nice apples to oranges comparison silly loob.
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