Want to Let the NCAA Know How You REALLY Feel?

Maybe one of you who corresponds with Hays could send him the information about the rules and suggest he write an article saying the NCAA should put the quarters here.

His email is Graham.Hays@espn3.com ... it's listed at the bottom of his articles.

I totally understand the spirit of where you are coming from UPSF (i.e. starting to put up a stink wherever we can to try and get the NCAA to listen to our plight), but I think lobbying for a #2 seed to host over a #1 seed is a bit disengenuous, since the crux of our "we should be hosting right now" argument is that we have earned the right to host based on our seed.

Still... it's not a bad idea to start really looking into what criterea the selection committee does and doesn't look at.

Well, maybe you're right. My real point is that if the NCAA is going to play the "rules" games, let's make them really do it. Then, maybe they'll get real with revising all the rules. It's more of a long term tactic and we could say we don't even agree with the 3rd/4th round site rule, but so long as they're going to stick us with the 1st/2nd round rule, then we want the 3rd/4th round rule applied as written. I guess I'll have to think about that a little bit.

Great first post Paolo,

Thanks for doing the math on the cost differences.

One small point--you made an error in the final differences in cost.

The "left on the table" number isn't $38,416.

The costs of going to Denver is a negative number (loss, debit) the figure for going to Portland is a Positive number (gain, profit).

The NCAA would actually have come out ahead by coming to Portland by $57,356.

That's 3 teams to Portland vs 2 teams to Denver.

Now, that's at retail flight costs, short notice, I presume. The NCAA travel agency should be able to do considerably better than that.

If the NCAA doesn't get better rates than that, I want to be on notice that my hat's in the ring for all future NCAA travel Business. I want the complete NCAA competition booking package. I have relatives in that same business, I think I could fly to all Portland games in the future as my commission.

Welcome Paolo!

And also... you don't need to factor in hotel costs for Hawaii, since they are staying at a hotel either way.

Probably Denver too... I doubt they'll be driving to Boulder all the way from Denver to play an early afternoon game, though I could be wrong about that.

Either way... I think there's no doubt at all that hosting at UP would make the NCAA a lot more money than hosting in Boulder.

Denver isn't that far from Boulder -- about an hour driving time. So, I'm guessing Denver will want to sleep at home and drive to Boulder.

On the question of whether people should try to force the Tournament Committee to follow its rule about third round and quarter-final sites, I've thought that over. My long-time philosophy, completely separate from soccer questions, is that one should respect the rule of law. If a law is bad, then rather than ignoring it the right thing to do, over the long term, is enforce it so that everyone can see its a bad law. That can be harsh in some situations, but to me it is better than the alternative. So, if the site location process is supposed to be governed by specific rules, as the NCAA Tournament Committee says it is, then let's insist on the rule of law. Of course, I don't think the Committee ever would make UCLA play at Portland. But I do think the Committee would be embarrassed, put in the situation of having to defend enforcing some rules and ignoring others, and perhaps put in the situation of having to publicly admit that the whole bunch of rules is stupid. To me, getting the Committee and the Championships/Competition Cabinet to acknowledge that is the first step towards getting good rules. If I recall, the Tournament Committee members and staff have said they don't have a choice, they have to follow the rules. What they haven't said is that the rules are bad and unfair and stupid rules. Until we get them to say that, I don't think we are going to get a rule change.

The NCAA is supposed to reimburse for travel and accommodation expenses for all teams.

In fact, If I read it correctly, if Denver chose to commute, they'd have to do the extra driving on their own dime.

If they went to Boulder, stayed there, and drove back, The NCAA picks up the tab.

Stonehouse wrote:

Maybe one of you who corresponds with Hays could send him the information about the rules and suggest he write an article saying the NCAA should put the quarters here.

His email is Graham.Hays@espn3.com ... it's listed at the bottom of his articles.

I totally understand the spirit of where you are coming from UPSF (i.e. starting to put up a stink wherever we can to try and get the NCAA to listen to our plight), but I think lobbying for a #2 seed to host over a #1 seed is a bit disengenuous, since the crux of our "we should be hosting right now" argument is that we have earned the right to host based on our seed.

Still... it's not a bad idea to start really looking into what criterea the selection committee does and doesn't look at.

As much as I would love to have another crack at UCLA, I am rooting for anybody but them in the in the far bottom right. I would love to have 2 more home games with this group!

As much as I would love to have another crack at UCLA, I am rooting for anybody but them in the in the far bottom right. I would love to have 2 more home games with this group!

Not to mention we'd gain a BCS ally in our quest for fair seeding.

A major part of the problem with the NCAA (and this extends to EVERY sport) is that officials from the schools have WAY too much influence over it. As I understand it, it is completely run by school and confererence officials. These officials do nothing by try to set the league up to favor THEIR schools or conferences. This is especially prevalent in football and basketball. To me this is a complete travesty and needs to be changed. The NCAA should be completely independent in EVERY aspect.

Here is the NCAA's Mission:

NCAA MISSION

"Core Ideology
The NCAA's core ideology consists of two notions: core purpose - the organization's reason for being - and core values - essential and enduring principles that guide an organization.



Core Purpose
Our purpose is to govern competition in a fair, safe, equitable and sportsmanlike manner, and to integrate intercollegiate athletics into higher education so that the educational experience of the student-athlete is paramount.



Core Values
The Association - through its member institutions, conferences and national office staff - shares a belief in and commitment to:

The collegiate model of athletics in which students participate as an avocation, balancing their academic, social and athletics experiences.

The highest levels of integrity and sportsmanship.

The pursuit of excellence in both academics and athletics.

The supporting role that intercollegiate athletics plays in the higher education mission and in enhancing the sense of community and strengthening the identity of member institutions.

An inclusive culture that fosters equitable participation for student-athletes and career opportunities for coaches and administrators from diverse backgrounds.

Respect for institutional autonomy and philosophical differences.

Presidential leadership of intercollegiate athletics at the campus, conference and national levels"

Does the NCAA accomplish any of this for any of its sports?

-SciFi