I find it amusing to read the Carolina board. I own a business on the outskirts of Charlotte and deal with many powder blue a-holes, I mean fans. Villanova is rarely mentioned but as the #4 team, we are beginning to surface. This characterizes the perception of Villanova in the Queen City:
"Who should end up being #1 seeds? In my opinion, UNC, Maryland, Oklahoma, and a mid major sneaks in as a #1 seed, probably Villanova. Outside of Villanova (due to their overall level of competition), the rest of those teams will probably have 4-5 losses each by tourney time. As tough as the Big 12 and ACC are this season, no game is ever a given. Should be interested, but I think UNC, Maryland, and Oklahoma will be the best teams at the end of the year."
a response after someone objected:
"I don't really care what we call them but the term 'mid-major' has nothing to do with whether it's a good program or not. Boston College is not a mid-major but they are god awful. To many, mid-major just means they aren't in the power 5 conferences, as defined by football and re-inforced with TV deals and national exposure. If you want to say the Big East is a major conference, go for it, but i wouldn't get to riled up when others don't."
Lastly:
"quazmarjones wrote: Missouri valley and big east are stuck in purgatory IMO based on routine NCAA dance attendance. They are a step up than most mid major conferences but not quite power 5."
"I agree in regards to the Missouri Valley (much like Conference University), but Big East was one of the Big Six for basketball (and really had supplanted the ACC as the elite basketball conference) up until we poached their schools a few years back. Having said that, they are definitely a mid-major conference now, but one with several historical basketball powerhouses in it. As such, it is currently the Pluto of conferences."
"Who should end up being #1 seeds? In my opinion, UNC, Maryland, Oklahoma, and a mid major sneaks in as a #1 seed, probably Villanova. Outside of Villanova (due to their overall level of competition), the rest of those teams will probably have 4-5 losses each by tourney time. As tough as the Big 12 and ACC are this season, no game is ever a given. Should be interested, but I think UNC, Maryland, and Oklahoma will be the best teams at the end of the year."
a response after someone objected:
"I don't really care what we call them but the term 'mid-major' has nothing to do with whether it's a good program or not. Boston College is not a mid-major but they are god awful. To many, mid-major just means they aren't in the power 5 conferences, as defined by football and re-inforced with TV deals and national exposure. If you want to say the Big East is a major conference, go for it, but i wouldn't get to riled up when others don't."
Lastly:
"quazmarjones wrote: Missouri valley and big east are stuck in purgatory IMO based on routine NCAA dance attendance. They are a step up than most mid major conferences but not quite power 5."
"I agree in regards to the Missouri Valley (much like Conference University), but Big East was one of the Big Six for basketball (and really had supplanted the ACC as the elite basketball conference) up until we poached their schools a few years back. Having said that, they are definitely a mid-major conference now, but one with several historical basketball powerhouses in it. As such, it is currently the Pluto of conferences."
