Protest Wednesday Assignment:

[Gem City]

1. Attention all Dayton fans, please make sure that you are appropriately lubricated before Wednesday’s night game. There are several pregame establishments on and around Brown Street. I suggest visiting Flanagans, BW3’s or Milano’s prior to the 9:00 o’clock tip off. We Flyer fans need to give our boys every possible advantage and that means being loud and downright obnoxious. Please help the boys out by knocking down a few dozen back before tip. Be sure to be all over the refs on every border line call that doesn’t go our way. (this of course is tongue and cheek…well, sort of) PS… don’t be late, give yourself enough time to get over the bridge.

2. In protest of the selection committee’s ridiculous seeding snub of our boys, (yes, I’m looking at you UCLA, Purdue, Texas, and Indiana) I’d ask all Flyer fans to join me in skipping the first game of the 2nd session. It would be awesome if the first game was played in a completely empty arena for the first game only to flip the script for game two in a sold out rocking arena. Besides, this will give you more time to accomplish your first task of getting properly lubricated prior to tip off. It sends a quite message to committee to stick it. Or better yet, maybe an organized walk out after tip off of the first game.

3. Finally, help with the Red Out and bust out one of your best red t-shirt…. I think someone needs to make some red Rodney Dangerfield UD basketball jerseys.

As for the snub itself, it’s clearly a case of the power 5 asserting it’s power over the NCAA and the desire by the committee to make the best tournament possible for TV.
UCLA is in because you couldn’t have a tournament with only three PAC-12 teams and boy does that LA tv market look good. Texas again….big tv audience. Indiana, see tv interest.
Dayton in the first four, again makes for a great tv story line. The controversy of the home court advantage is a great tv talking point. I really don’t think they anticipated any push back about seeding. I’m mean UD just a mid-major right? On the contrary, I really think they thought UD fans would be ecstatic. I mean we should be happy to be included in the big 5’s party. I really think the only controversy they saw or anticipated was the idea of “rewarding” Dayton with a home game. To lessen that blow, they decided to make UD the “away” team.
My biggest pet peeve is this “EYE TEST” crap. Eye test….really…..Did I just hear Barnes say that UCLA looked really good on the road against Arizona in a game they lost? Wow!!! If I understand this correctly, power 5 conference teams now get points for “playing well” in defeat. On the flip side, how does UD pass or fail an “EYE TEST” when I guarantee the vast majority of these jerks never watched a minute of UD play this year. Period….
My dream would be to change the selection process to some kind of computer ranking and just take the subjectivity completely out of the process. (UCLA, Purdue, Texas, Indiana all bubble teams that made the field without a play in game. Old Dominion, Richmond, Temple, Colorodo State were the first four out and all from non-power 5 conferences. Huh, that’s odd. )

	Temple TEMPLE UNIVERSITY Founded in 1884 by Dr. Russell Conwell, Temple College became Temple University in 1907. Located in Philadelphia, Temple is a comprehensive public research university with 34,000 students, 8 campuses, and 300 academic degree programs. Notable alumni include Bill Cosby and Daryl Hall. Temple's nickname is the Owls and are fellow A10 Conference members.

	Richmond UNIVERSITY OF RICHMOND Founded in 1830, the private liberal arts university in the Commonwealth boasts 2,800 students in 57 majors within its picturesque 350-acre campus. The Robins School of Business is one of the Top-20 business schools in the country. Nickname is the Spiders and are fellow A10 Conference members.

[Medford]

If the first 4 is a good thing for UD (regardless if UD is playing in it or not) then its a bad thing for everyone to completely skip the first game, it would reflect poorly on the school and its fan base and would like give UD about a 0% chance of renewing the contract down the road. I happen to think the first 4 is a good thing for UD in general, though like many I wish/think they should have been seeded higher.

Now what would be awesome, and can only be done if UD has the game wrapped up with a few minutes to go in the game is for everyone to be cheering "eye test...eye test...eye test..."

[John C.]

Couldn't disagree with you more on #2. The kids playing in that game had nothing to do with the decision. In the end, it will only send the NCAA a signal that Dayton doesn't want the First Four. It is what it is. Move on.

[UD90]

As far as Chanting "EYE TEST" at the end of the game if we win - I couldn't agree more.

[Bill202]

The whole arena shouting EYE TEST, EYE TEST at the end of the game might make PLAY OF THE DAY!!

[longtimefan]

I'm loving the EYE TEST chant. I'm in!

[DGO67]

Turning the selection process over to a computer could have some negatives.
For starters, the computer will factor in winning margins. This gives the impetus to run up a score...which means less time for bench play and overall bad Kharma.
Another slippery slope is who is data mining and inputting? Remember, garbage in/garbage out!
Also, how would you like to watch selection Sunday and find out (on Monday) that the computer program had been hacked?
What could be in order is the creation of a formula for selection that reduces subjectivity to a bare minimum. The RPI formula clearly is being bypassed at the discretion of committee members.
Or maybe a review panel that challenges and/or supports selections of the "primary committee."
Conclusion: no way to satisfy all sports fanatics!

[forego1]

Originally Posted by Gem City 1. Attention all Dayton fans, please make sure that you are appropriately lubricated before Wednesday’s night game....

I really enjoyed the post Gem City and laughed. I am with you!

[FLYER5]

I attest for "Eye Test"

[BeckysTXA]

Someone posted the First Four Manual on another thread. I noticed that Mr. Eye Test himself (Scott Barnes) will be in attendance on Wednesday.

[longtimefan]

Originally Posted by BeckysTXA Someone posted the First Four Manual on another thread. I noticed that Mr. Eye Test himself (Scott Barnes) will be in attendance on Wednesday.

I feel some boos coming on.

[FlyingArrow]

Originally Posted by DGO67 Turning the selection process over to a computer could have some negatives. For starters, the computer will factor in winning margins. This gives the impetus to run up a score...which means less time for bench play and overall bad Kharma. Another slippery slope is who is data mining and inputting? Remember, garbage in/garbage out! Also, how would you like to watch selection Sunday and find out (on Monday) that the computer program had been hacked? What could be in order is the creation of a formula for selection that reduces subjectivity to a bare minimum. The RPI formula clearly is being bypassed at the discretion of committee members. Or maybe a review panel that challenges and/or supports selections of the "primary committee." Conclusion: no way to satisfy all sports fanatics!

The computer does not need to take into account winning margins. In fact, Sagarin has two sets of ratings: one with margin included and one without. The one including margin is better at determining the better team. But the other (in my opinion) is better at determining the more deserving team. And the NCAA berth should be a reward given to the teams that had the most deserving season, based on wins and losses (not margins of victory).

The only thing that a statistically valid computer ranking won't take into consideration that should be taken into consideration is schedule - who you played and where. They can take into consideration that a road win is tougher than a home win. That's easy enough. But they can't *reward* a team for playing tough teams on the road (win or lose) unless it is explicitly baked into the system - as it is for the RPI. And how much should a team be rewarded for scheduling tough? That's entirely subjective.

[Chris R]

The loudest protest the committee will hear is a 25pt drubbing of Boise State. Anything beyond that should be beneath us, because we're above it. The First Four is not the place to stop being classy and respectful.

Everything that needs to be said can be said between 94ft of lacquered pine.

[rollo]

To be effective you need to hit 'em where it hurts...and the proposed protest won't do it.

Last month the Queen was upset with the kids because they leave the lights on, cabinets open and generally leave the house a Palatial mess.

Her Royal solution was to fine them $1/day and she was on one h*ll of a royal rant when I returned to the palatial estate from work. After the rant, the kids just laid there and were as disinterested and unaffected as you can imagine young teenagers can be...so I called her Royal Highness into the kitchen and explained that taking their money doesn't hurt them since they have so f'in much of it...and if you want their rooms clean, dishes put into the dishwasher, lights turned off and cabinets closed, to step back and watch the King do his Royal job.

So I walked into the Royal living room and told the brats to hand their iphones over, that they now belong to me and they can have them only in the evenings and only after they do exactly what their mother expects BEFORE she tells them what that is. Within 15 minutes all was better...end of problem. Cuz I hit 'em where it hurts most.

Back to the NCAA Committee...a protest won't affect them since they have their money. The one and only thing that the NCAA Committee doesn't want is to look stupid!

"So how, oh great King Rollo, does one make the Committee look stupid?" Easy.

Kick Boise State's b*tt into the ground...and pray that UCLA gets their b*tts handed to them the same way...same with IU and any other BCS team you believe was somehow snuck into the Tourney. And then watch the press rip them openly for making such ridiculous decisions.

That and only that would make them look stupid...and that's the only way you'll ever get them to change, because a know-it-all hates being exposed as someone who knows nothing.

Class dismissed.

You're welcome.

[FlyerGuyer]

Ok yeah, but what if we lose? Can we then pelt Barnes with glass eyeballs?

[hoch21]

Rumors have it there will be other protests out front from the Walmart incident.
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[NovaFlyer]

I am happy we are playing another home game with this team. If you have never been involved with the NCAA this selection process is typical of how they operate, a very low performance rating. They'd be voted off of Dancing with the Stars before the show ever aired!!!
I could not believe the Ath Dir from Utah State whose answers were deserving of less than a 6th grade education (eye test, what a joke of a phrase). So be it, play hard, and enjoy the games, all of them.

The First Four is a Dayton thing so come out and support the City and all the people who help make this a great event.

[UD62]

Originally Posted by Chris R The loudest protest the committee will hear is a 25pt drubbing of Boise State. Anything beyond that should be beneath us, because we're above it. The First Four is not the place to stop being classy and respectful. Everything that needs to be said can be said between 94ft of lacquered pine.

Agree, acting like a "well lubricated" idiot serves no purpose. We got screwed, it's over, move on. We have a good thing with the First Four, why give it a black eye. Just win, that's statement enough.

[DGO67]

Originally Posted by FlyingArrow The computer does not need to take into account winning margins. In fact, Sagarin has two sets of ratings: one with margin included and one without. The one including margin is better at determining the better team. But the other (in my opinion) is better at determining the more deserving team. And the NCAA berth should be a reward given to the teams that had the most deserving season, based on wins and losses (not margins of victory). The only thing that a statistically valid computer ranking won't take into consideration that should be taken into consideration is schedule - who you played and where. They can take into consideration that a road win is tougher than a home win. That's easy enough. But they can't *reward* a team for playing tough teams on the road (win or lose) unless it is explicitly baked into the system - as it is for the RPI. And how much should a team be rewarded for scheduling tough? That's entirely subjective.

That a computer program can make things seem fair is correct and to your point. The part about "...most deserving season" reeks of subjectivity...bringing us back to the present situation where a committee member's eye test leaves sports fans and critics scratching their head.

[T-Bone 84]

Originally Posted by longtimefan I'm loving the EYE TEST chant. I'm in!

Or, better yet - do it in the "sing-song" manner. You know! "EYYYYYE te-e-e-est! EYYYYE te-e-e-est!" so it echoes clearly through The Arena (and over the airwaves). That way, the ENTIRE NATION will hear it VERY CLEARLY. Maximum effect!
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[FlyingArrow]

Originally Posted by DGO67 That a computer program can make things seem fair is correct and to your point. The part about "...most deserving season" reeks of subjectivity...bringing us back to the present situation where a committee member's eye test leaves sports fans and critics scratching their head.

Should a close win be worth less than a blowout? That's the only subjective part I am talking about. A formula can either look at game scores or just wins and losses. That decision about what type of formula to use is necessarily subjective, and I think it is better to ignore point differential for two reasons. No incentive to run up the score, and actual wins mean more.

[UDGutter2]

There's a site way to keep computers from being hacked: don't hook them up to a network and put them online. All of the data can be input and just the results published. Computers do not have to be online to work.