2019 Bracketology Thread

[ICGrad]

It would have been polite for Admin to clearly state...

It would have been polite for laxfan131 to clearly state that, as a long-suffering Big Red fan, he 100% acknowledges that there is no way in hell that a 5 loss Cornell team earns a selection over a 7 loss Johns Hopkins team.

[Trumansburger]

Also, Hop played 3 great games late in the season. They are still 8-7 with no top 10 wins. If they were any other team, I wonder if they would be receiving such huge accolades...

Agree, 8-7. They are playing good lacrosse recently. But really, they have won only 2 of their last 5 games, and those were against the same team. And the 2 wins prior to that were against sub .500 teams.

[laxfan1313]

It would have been polite for Admin to clearly state...

It would have been polite for laxfan131 to clearly state that, as a long-suffering Big Red fan, he 100% acknowledges that there is no way in hell that a 5 loss Cornell team earns a selection over a 7 loss Johns Hopkins team.

It would have been polite for ICGrad to note that, according to laxbytes, JHU is also in and it is Syracuse that is out. Not my opinion, the opinion of laxbytes. I wonder if ICGrad is the most famous IC grad, the talented DJ "The Greaseman."

[Hawkeye]

It would have been polite for Admin to clearly state...

It would have been polite for ICGrad to note that, according to laxbytes, JHU is also in and it is Syracuse that is out. Not my opinion, the opinion of laxbytes.

You act like laf/laxbytes is the last word on the bracket. The percentage chance that the model is giving UNC of an at large bid is comical. UNC’s chances are approximately 0%. Maybe add a few hundredths of a point if you’re feeling generous. The accuracy record of the model gets bragged on so much could easily be matched to over time by an educated observer. In any given year, there's only one spot or maybe two spots that are seriously up for grabs. Most people who follow lacrosse closely can/could pick 7 or all 8 of the at-larges correctly in any year.

Cornell might very well get in against what a lot of us are thinking, but that doesn’t change that you immediately discount what admin/others who work pretty hard (and I would like to think objectively and without bias as much as possible) in analyzing the numbers and what will happen... but my goodness what laxbytes says is the absolute last word.

Laxbytes is a good site, and I appreciate the work that is done there. But to elevate it above all others like it is the definitive gospel is also not right.

[HopFan16]

If Cornell doesn't get in, they will have two teams to blame, and neither of them are Hopkins:

1. Loyola, for not winning the Patriot League and taking up their at-large spot
2. Maryland, for losing twice in a week to Hopkins

[Hawkeye]

If Cornell doesn't get in, they will have two teams to blame, and neither of them are Hopkins:

1. Loyola, for not winning the Patriot League and taking up their at-large spot
2. Maryland, for losing twice in a week to Hopkins

And themselves, of course. Every team that is even somewhat on the bubble tonight could have always won one more game to lock down their spot via a stronger resume.

This is not to say that Cornell (or whichever team ends up being first out) is not worthy of a spot. Any of the teams being discussed are worthy of that spot. I'm saying that playing the blame game with other teams not doing "what you needed" is a slippery slope to start down.

[CU88]

If Cornell doesn't get in, they will have two teams to blame, and neither of them are Hopkins:

1. Loyola, for not winning the Patriot League and taking up their at-large spot
2. Maryland, for losing twice in a week to Hopkins

And themselves, of course. Every team that is even somewhat on the bubble tonight could have always won one more game to lock down their spot via a stronger resume.

This is not to say that Cornell (or whichever team ends up being first out) is not worthy of a spot. Any of the teams being discussed are worthy of that spot. I'm saying that playing the blame game with other teams not doing "what you needed" is a slippery slope to start down.

+1

[Big Dog]

If Cornell doesn't get in, they will have two teams to blame, and neither of them are Hopkins:

1. Loyola, for not winning the Patriot League and taking up their at-large spot
2. Maryland, for losing twice in a week to Hopkins

And themselves, of course. Every team that is even somewhat on the bubble tonight could have always won one more game to lock down their spot via a stronger resume.

This is not to say that Cornell (or whichever team ends up being first out) is not worthy of a spot. Any of the teams being discussed are worthy of that spot. I'm saying that playing the blame game with other teams not doing "what you needed" is a slippery slope to start down.

Bingo. And if The Hop is excluded, the 4th qtr collapse against tOSU will loom extremely large.....

[laxfan1313]

It would have been polite for Admin to clearly state...

It would have been polite for ICGrad to note that, according to laxbytes, JHU is also in and it is Syracuse that is out. Not my opinion, the opinion of laxbytes.

You act like laf/laxbytes is the last word on the bracket. The percentage chance that the model is giving UNC of an at large bid is comical. UNC’s chances are approximately 0%. Maybe add a few hundredths of a point if you’re feeling generous. The accuracy record of the model gets bragged on so much could easily be matched to over time by an educated observer. In any given year, there's only one spot or maybe two spots that are seriously up for grabs. Most people who follow lacrosse closely can/could pick 7 or all 8 of the at-larges correctly in any year.

Cornell might very well get in against what a lot of us are thinking, but that doesn’t change that you immediately discount what admin/others who work pretty hard (and I would like to think objectively and without bias as much as possible) in analyzing the numbers and what will happen... but my goodness what laxbytes says is the absolute last word.

Laxbytes is a good site, and I appreciate the work that is done there. But to elevate it above all others like it is the definitive gospel is also not right.

A site with a 95+% success rate has credibility. In any committee, the human factor can be decisive. I won't be surprised if Cornell is excluded. I'll be delighted for the seniors if they get to play at least one more game. The decision may come down to, in the perception of the committee, which exclusion is most defensible. For example, if Maryland were excluded, the answer to a complaint could be "If you wanted to make the tournament, you should not have lost to JHU twice in a week. Same for Cornell re the recent Yale loss. Etc. Perhaps it's time to end speculation and wait for the decision coming in an hour. Good luck to all those on the bubble.

[Trumansburger]

I'm saying that playing the blame game with other teams not doing "what you needed" is a slippery slope to start down.

I don't see anyone playing the blame game. Just pointing out how the chips have fallen. Just like they will fall tonight when the committee announces. I have commented on Hopkins recent performance, for example, and could just as easily point to Md's weak schedule and late slide. I do think Cornell deserves to be in, which means some team will be out. I hope Laxbytes prediction plays out, at least as far as the Big Red is concerned.

[Wheels]

Also, Hop played 3 great games late in the season. They are still 8-7 with no top 10 wins. If they were any other team, I wonder if they would be receiving such huge accolades...

Denver had more wins overall and more T20 wins (including a T10 win). Hopkins scheduled better. Denver was brain dead not to make up that Notre Dame game.

From IL

9. Johns Hopkins (8-7)
RPI: 8
Top 5 Wins: None
Top 10 Wins: None
Top 20 Wins: Maryland, Maryland, North Carolina

13. Denver (10-5)
RPI: 13
Top 5 Wins: None
Top 10 Wins: Towson
Top 20 Wins: Villanova, Georgetown, North Carolina

[reLAX]

Also, Hop played 3 great games late in the season. They are still 8-7 with no top 10 wins. If they were any other team, I wonder if they would be receiving such huge accolades...

Denver had more wins overall and more T20 wins (including a T10 win). Hopkins scheduled better. Denver was brain dead not to make up that Notre Dame game.

From IL

9. Johns Hopkins (8-7)
RPI: 8
Top 5 Wins: None
Top 10 Wins: None
Top 20 Wins: Maryland, Maryland, North Carolina

13. Denver (10-5)
RPI: 13
Top 5 Wins: None
Top 10 Wins: Towson
Top 20 Wins: Villanova, Georgetown, North Carolina

This doesn’t make Hopkins look very tournament worthy

[44WeWantMore]

It would have been polite for Admin to clearly state...

It would have been polite for laxfan131 to clearly state that, as a long-suffering Big Red fan, he 100% acknowledges that there is no way in hell that a 5 loss Cornell team earns a selection over a 7 loss Johns Hopkins team.

It would have been polite for ICGrad to note that, according to laxbytes, JHU is also in and it is Syracuse that is out. Not my opinion, the opinion of laxbytes. I wonder if ICGrad is the most famous IC grad, the talented DJ "The Greaseman."

Way off topic, but The Greaseman was the only DJ who would drive my choice of radio stations.

[CU77]

The game Cornell fans remember is the regular-season loss to Penn in Ithaca on a last-minute goal, after holding a 7-2 lead. That was the game the Big Red needed to win.

[Trumansburger]

Way off topic, but The Greaseman was the only DJ who would drive my choice of radio stations.

OT, but those were the days! The Greasman on Ithaca's WICB and WTKO!

[laxfan1313]

Congrats to the teams that made it.

[stupefied]

So much for LaxBites

[10stone5]

LaxBytes is great,
Laxpower as well, which is what that site actually is, and it looks like they are resurrecting it at least parts of it.

So, LaxBytes over emphasized SOS and under emphasized RPI.

Not a crime.

Big Red did about as well as a team can do to get in the tournament. Some have argued the Penn game, and that’s a fair point.

A tournament worthy team, really two or three, got left out. Those are the breaks until RPI is tossed as a measure, or they expand the field.

[ICGrad]

It would have been polite for Admin to clearly state...

It would have been polite for laxfan131 to clearly state that, as a long-suffering Big Red fan, he 100% acknowledges that there is no way in hell that a 5 loss Cornell team earns a selection over a 7 loss Johns Hopkins team.

It would have been polite for ICGrad to note that, according to laxbytes, JHU is also in and it is Syracuse that is out. Not my opinion, the opinion of laxbytes. I wonder if ICGrad is the most famous IC grad, the talented DJ "The Greaseman."

While my kids would remark that, in fact, I am the most famous IC grad, alas my talents lie in the direction of software engineering, not DJ-ing.

I will rest easier tonight knowing that a Hopkins team that finished 8-7 is in while Cornell team that finished 10-5 is out. I guess Hopkins just lost a greater number of important games than the Big Red did.

[Matnum PI]

10Stone, of course it's not a crime. But if I open a restaurant called The World's Best Buffalo Wings, unless these wings are truly the best wings in the world, I shouldn't be surprised when I hear a lot of, They're good but... The Best in the World?!