The NCAA tournament's opening-round game, which was added in 2001 and is commonly known as the play-in game, still faces the perception that it is not truly a part of the tournament. It is an issue of particular interest for historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs), whose teams have been relegated to the Tuesday night game most often. If the NCAA selection committee keeps with its current pattern when the field of 65 is announced today, it would mark the sixth straight season that the champion of the Southwest Athletic Conference or the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference, the two leagues that comprise Division I's historically black colleges, will be sent to the play-in game.Since its creation, three representatives from the SWAC and two from the MEAC have been sent to the game. The Big South, with two appearances, is the only other league in the country that has sent a team more than once.
The trend is alarming to some affiliated with the two conferences, especially coaches such as Florida A&M's Mike Gillespie, who said that the majority of their teams face unique challenges that make it difficult to compare their competitive résumés to those of other schools.
"I feel the MEAC is every bit as good as the Southland, the Northeast," said Gillespie, who led Florida A&M to the tournament in 2004. "Our top five teams are every bit as good. Why do we have to be singled out each and every year?"
continue reading: Battling Against 'Stigma' of Play-In
This team doesn't deserve to relegated to a play-in game! Heck, even Del State should get a bid to the dance.
ReplyDeleteThis stupid shyt is why FAMU is so backwards. Did I say backwards? I meant laced with incompetence.
ReplyDeleteIt is so arrogant and ethnocentric to think that anyone gives a rats ass about "black issues." The truth is that NO ONE CARES. Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson are profiting from race baiting - so they care, but most Americans really do not give a crap what color your mother's behind is.
The only color that matters in this society is green.
The TRUTH is that FAMU does not generate the crowds or the revenue to warrant a higher placement. The alumni do not support the school.
The truth is that the NCAA sees the same thing that Bill's Book store saw. FAMUians are not good for business. The students will not buy a book for their class. The book store can't survive when students do not buy books. They close the doors and idiots start crying racism. It's not a BLACK thing honey. Its a GREEN thing.
When FAMUians become better supporters and better consumers then they will enjoy the same benefits that other colleges receive.
Besides, how the HELL can you cry racism when they ain't a white kid on the court in the top 64? (except maybe Notre Dame)
This is just outrageous.
You show some green and no one will care about your blackness.
Show an employer that you are worth more green that he is paying you and he will not care about your blackness.
Show the NCAA advertisers are not flushing their money down the toilet when the air a FAMU (or other HBCU) game and things will change.
I guarantee it.
Rattler Nation is the greatest. I was extremely irate when I saw FAMU would be playing yet another play-in game to advance to the big dance after winning its conference outright. If I was the coach I'd either boycott the tournament or start asking some questions. This isn't anything but Racism and Bias at its best. In my opinion some of these other bubble teams that managed to sneak in should be regulated to play in a play-in game or get rid of it all together. I'm happy for our Mens conference win, but completely disappointed, appalled, and disgusted in the basketball selection committee that made such a dumb decision. We deserve better.
ReplyDeletehttp://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/ncaatourney07/news/story?id=2794997
ReplyDeleteFunny. We feel the same way.
3/12/2007 12:14 AM is right.
ReplyDeleteCrying "racism" every time something doesn't go your way is sophomoric.
Most rational people are too pragmatic to be racist. If you are a contributer then your race becomes a non-issue.
The NON-HBCU feels "disrespected" too. Perhaps the NCAA is committee was confused when it purposefully discriminated against the Niagraians.
ReplyDeleteLEWISTON, N.Y. -- Shocked, dismayed and disrespected. Coach Joe Mihalich and the Niagara Purple Eagles don't understand how the NCAA tournament selection committee relegated them to the play-in game.
"Nothing makes sense to me," Mihalich said Sunday, shortly after learning his team's low seeding. "Let me be diplomatic here: I'm confused."
Niagara will face Florida A&M in the play-in game Tuesday at Dayton, Ohio. The announcement quickly tempered the enthusiasm of a crowd of about 500 fans gathered in Niagara's Gallagher Center, who were prepared to celebrate the Purple Eagles' third tournament berth and second in three years.
Following a brief moment of disbelief that silenced the gym after Niagara's name was shown on a big screen, a chorus of boos filled the room.
"We feel disrespected," junior forward Charron Fisher said. "I'm sure you'll be able to see when we play on Tuesday how disrespected we feel."
COMMENT FOLLOWING THE STORY:
BNofal (3/11/2007 at 10:43 PM)
DISRESPECTED??? At least be glad you got into the NCAA's... I'm sure there are plenty of other teams (Syracuse, FSU, K-State,etc..) that would LOVE to be in your position.. quit complaining.
http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/ncaatourney07/news/story?id=2794997
rest of the link:
ReplyDeletehttp://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/ncaatourney07
/news/story?id=2794997
This is a study in contradictions. On one hand we are admitting that we can't compete with other leagues. We (FAMU) play "guaranteed loss" games to generate cash. On the other hand we are upset when we are not considered "just as good" as teams that make the tournament?
ReplyDeleteBattling Against 'Stigma' Of Play-In
http://www.washingtonpost.com/
wp-dyn/content/article
/2007/03/10/AR2007031000825.html
This is a study in contradictions. On one hand we are admitting that we can't compete with other leagues. We (FAMU) play "guaranteed loss" games to generate cash. On the other hand we are upset when we are not considered "just as good" as teams that make the tournament?
If the tournament was "fair," only the best 64 teams in the country would be in the tournament. it may not be the case this year, but what if you have 10 really bad teams in a league. Why should the champion of that league have an automatic spot?
I guarantee you FSU or K-state could beat a lot of the lower seeded teams. Why aren't they in the 64?
i gotta work on the cut and paste thing LOL
ReplyDeleteLeague champs should have automatic spots and play-ins should be for bubble teams, in my opinion.
ReplyDeleteBut if we really want to avoid play-in games in the future, just like the I-AA football argument, we have to bite the bullet, switch from the MEAC to, say, Conference USA, take a beating for a few years as we upgrade our athletic talent, then we can compete.
Certain conferences will only get a "Bid Dance" bid for the tournament winner.
The NCAA devaules the quality of competition at Black schools pure and simple. But turns a blind eye at smaller PWCS who are "mid majors" and below.
ReplyDeleteThe NCAA devaules the quality of competition at Black schools pure and simple. But turns a blind eye at smaller PWCS who are "mid majors" and below.
ReplyDeleteMy goodness, 12:14. Is it REALLY necessary for you to be so profane. What you're saying is, for one thing, not worth all the cursing and horrendous commentary that you're served up here on this blog. Number two: Plenty of FAMU fans are jut as upset, of not omre, but ranting and raving like an idiot is not going to solve one frigging thing. If you're that doggone upset, write an intelligent letter to the powers-that-be and voice your concerns (not that it will do any good, but at least you will be able to let off steam and get whatever in in your system, out)! Oops...I forgot, you only know how to use the words that you've used and the language that you're obviously used to. On second thought, never mind about writing ANYTHING to ANYBODY. You've proven just how stupid and ignorant you can be. My bad.
ReplyDelete12:14 says: Doggone it! I am so sorry for the friggin profanity.
ReplyDeleteMy dear 3/12/2007 1:31 PM,
ReplyDeleteIt is not the NCAA that has "devalued the competition at Black schools."
It is the fruition of a dream. A dream that one day each man will be judged by the content of his character rather than the color of his skin.
In sports, that dream has become a reality. The best athletes go to the best schools regardless of their skin color. The best programs only care about one thing - the athlete's ability to perform.
This is a good thing. This is the dream. Thank you Jackie Robinson, et. al.
HBCUs do not play in the best leagues so they do not get the best players. If you are the top high school player in your state, what are the chances that you would want to go to the MEAC college?
Without top players you do not do well (or even seed well) in Division I tournaments.
Thus the play-in.
I agree with someone above who said that there are probably 64 programs in the country that are just as good if not better than FAMU.
Let's just be grateful that our little 'ole MEAC division school has a shot at the big leagues.
Dream big!
How about you just go to sleep and don't wake up!
ReplyDelete"Dream on, dream on, dream on, dream until your dreams come true"
ReplyDelete-Aerosmith
Lets see....
ReplyDeletegot a white coach
at a historically black university
complaining about a play-in to the NCAA tournament
where the VAST majority of players are black
So we have a WHITE coaching a BLACK team complaining to a group of WHITES that manage a mostly BLACK association (NCAA).
I don't think I have EVER seen the race card used in such a complicated play. That took some creativity! I need a diagram.
11:29 PM....You need a brain transplant. I know you have no ability to rationalize this point appropriately, but the color of FAMU coach G skin has absolutely nothing to do with the issue of an NCAA play in game nor his ability to win championships at FAMU. I will send you a road map to Stupidville so you can go play in traffic on the historically white freeway. Go play your race card with your trailer park trash.
ReplyDeleteIs FAMU not the lowest rated team (RPI)in the tournament??? Which by virtue puts us in the championship game?
ReplyDeleteThe MEAC and SWAC are the lowest rated conferences bottom line. If anybody should be outraged it is Niagra who is only in the game because the committee was afraid to put to HBCUs in the play in game. Why were they so afraid? Because they knew simple minded people would try to play the race card and didn't want the controversy.
The hooded klansman and accusations of racism are really sad. This is definately a low point for the rattlernation blog.
ReplyDelete