Friday, August 29, 2008

You Are Kidding - Right?

Have you seen Nebraska's Non-Conference schedule? This is what I'm talking about when I mention that media members in this state are beginning to make me question if they are taking sides. I talked on the show about how I think some media members are getting ready to rip Dana Altman for not producing but let's be honest here with NU's schedule - Nebraska under Doc Sadler is simply scheduling to pad their overall record. He is saying "we play in the Big 12, we don't need a tough non-conference" . Well, you do - but this ain't SEC football. Winning 20 games doesn't put you into the NCAA tournament. This year's non-con is WORST than last year's! Look for yourself (last year's record is next to the team):

San Jose State 13-19
at Texas Christian 14-16
Arkansas-Pine Bluff 13-18
St. Louis 16-15
Creighton 22-11
Alabama State 20-11
at Arizona State 21-13
at Oregon State 6-25
Indiana/Purdue-Fort Wayne 13-18
Maryland-Baltimore County 24-9
South Carolina State 13-20
Maryland-Eastern Shore 4-28 (worst rating in DI)
Florida A&M 15-17***

Get ready for it....AVERAGE KEN POM rating of 215. By my count - 1 team that played in the NCAA Tournament. 1. It should be noted that I'm using "RATING" and not "RPI" as the OWH did today. NU Kenpom RPI (95 to Rating of 35) is more than twice worse but since they used that...I thought I'd use the same spin as them to paint the picture. Now CU's isn't that much better at an average of rating 164 (Game 12 rating was averaged between St. Louis and Depaul. (CU's Kenpom RPI is 46) and 3 NCAA teams, however many schools simply won't play CU. The same can not be said for Doc Sadler and Nebraska. They bring a bigger name thanks to football and have the resources to do things that Creighton can not.

So why, year after year, do we see NU play a sad non-conference schedule? It would work for a small mid-major but not a Big 12 school. You can say "Once" Doc Sadler gets it going - then he will schedule....why would anyone play a team that is going to kill your RPI? The Huskers had a Ken Pom rating of 35 to use to their advantage. Oregon St.? Maybe Doc wanted to meet Michelle Obama's brother but that's not a good game other than it's a name. Arizona St. and Creighton. 2 games on the entire schedule! Wow. Way to go after the big boys Doc but I doubt you will hear that from any other media member.

10 comments:

Wes134 said...

Hmmmm....i don't see to many NU fans defending their non-conf. schedule.....GO Maryland Easter Shore!!!!!!Go Hawks!!!!!!

johnny drama said...

Isn't Ken Pom the same scale that you used last year to determine who was in and out of the NCAA and NIT? Nebraska does not have the toughest of schedules by far and they do play in the Big 12, even though you call it a football conference. I know it is not the toughest conference out there but when you constantly compare it to the MVC, which is every argument you have, it is laughable. Playing teams like Indiana State and Evansville twice a year is pretty bad. Matt overall adding the entire schedule into play with non, and conference games you honestly think Creighton plays a tougher schedule?

Randy said...

Matt you just don't get it. Your damn right we don't have to play tougher teams. We have the Big 12. That isn't an excuse that is REALITY.

Also, Doc IS trying to get better teams to come play them but they won't. You completely contradict yourself because you said NU should have no problem getting teams to play them but then you say teams won't play us because it will hurt their RPI???? So which is it? This is why I NEVER will listen to your show again because you just don't have a clue when it comes to this stuff and you just say this crap to get people flustered.

Tell me again who is so freaking good on Creighton's non-conference schedule? Please do.

Also you do realize only ONE freaking team went to the NCAA last year from the Valley (and lost 1st round). The Big 12 I think had a few teams if I'm not mistaken?

I have said this time and time again. NU is using the same blueprint that Gillespie used at A&M. Red-shirt guys, schedule a weaker non-conference to build confidence and get the team ready for the Big 12. Plus we do play TCU, Oregon State, Arizona State, Creighton and St. Louis who are at least KNOWN teams. Now besides ASU none of those teams were worth a damn last year but we at least know them. Plus St. Louis who both CU and NU play have Majerus so you know they'll be getting better.

You know damn well if Creighton were playing ASU or even Oregon State (as bad as they are) everybody would be talking about those games like they are the greatest games ever. But NU plays these BCS schools and they suck? Yet another reason why I absolutely hate Creighton fans. They live in a fantasy world where their team is so freaking good. And to make themselves feel better they worry about NU's schedule before talking about their own crap-ass schedule. Again Matt please do tell me who is so "great" on CU's schedule. I'll wait a LONG time for that answer.

bostonyankee said...

Nebraska's crappy non conference scheduling has gone on a long long time before Matt started hating Doc. I don't believe the soft schedule helps Nebraska at all while some think they don't need anything more since they play in the Big 12. In fact, I think it hurts them once they do get to the Big 12 because they haven't seen that caliber of players. I would love to see the Huskers improve the non conference portion of the schedule, not only for Big 12 prep, but also to get some butts in the seats in Devaney. Is there any doubt why the non conference home attendance is so horrid every year? What I would like to see Nebraska do is keep 2-3 of the creampuffs and then try to get at least one game per year with a
Big 10 team like Minnesota or Iowa that you could alternate home sites. Then go after the 3 schools to our west, Wyoming, CSU and Air Force and try to play at least two of those teams every year. You may even be able to get a 2 for 1 with schools like that. Keep the game with the Jays and add one more Valley team like Wichita State. St Louis seems like a good team to play every year as well. I also like seeing a PAC 10 team or two on the schedule even though they may not be great, a bottom PAC 10 team is still better then a Maryland Eastern Shore. If Nebraska wants to ever get to the level that other teams in Big 12 such as Kansas, Texas, Oklahoma, Okie State have reached, they can't be scared to play higher quality teams leading into the Big 12. As for you Jay fans that take pride that your non conference schedule is better then Nebraska's, well that's a rather sad existance as a basketball fan to even care about that. Don't you have better things to worry about, like the start of men's soccer?

Husker_Engineer said...

Bluejay fans aren't interested in Men's soccer. They will be sporting their Husker gear this saturday to watch the football games.

Unknown said...

Still obsessed with Husker basketball I see..........

sublime_fan27 said...

Yes, Creighton fans are always so worried about what Nebraska is doing. Part of the reason is that they are all Nebraska football fans who are waiting for Nebraska to produce a good basketball team so they can trade their little mid-major games in for some real games in a real conference.

Perhaps this schedule does hurt us a little when you look at the big picture. Why are you Creighton fans crying about it? How does it concern you guys at all? None of you guys know sh!t about college basketball. You just come to games to wear a sweater-vest and look important. The only times there is a lot of noise at the Quiet Center is when you are talking on your cell phones or some Husker football icon shows up in the stands. Get a life.

Bad schedule or not, you guys are still going to get beat in Lincoln. The schedule is going to hold no bearing at all with how bad we will beat you.

I just don't understand why you guys are always so concerened about Nebraska basketball. I understand your grudge against the Big 12. I get that your hatred stems from the fact that your boy Dana got ran out at K-State. Its gotta hurt knowing that your "God" got handed a great program and that Dana ran it into the ground.

Matt Perrault said...

k st is a great program? Without a certain top draft pick recently -I really doubt you would say that about them

sublime_fan27 said...

Lon Kruger, Mitch Richmond, Askia Jones. Google them.

You really don't know anything about college basketball, do you?

don geevafuc said...

Seriously Matt, look at the record and tournament history of Kansas State in the late 80's and early 90's leading up to Dana taking over the program. Take a look at the success the program was having and then look over what Dana accomplished before being asked to leave. Nebraska's non-conference schedule is weak, their overall schedule is still way better than Creighton's. Also, Creighton doesn't exactly inspire any awe with their schedule, do they?

I know, I know. No good teams want to play Creighton because the Jays are so awesome, right? Maybe it has more to do with coaches not wanting to insult Dana because he has a nice little program at Creighton and has been there for so long/can't handle coaching at a higher level in a major conference and they are just being kind to him.

"Hey, coach of big school, what about playing a school like Creighton?"

"Oh, no way, those guys are too good. We don't gain anything by playing them and we stand a good chance of losing (since Creighton has such an awesome record against ranked teams, right?)."

Yeah, Creighton is a world beater, just look at their tournament success under Dana. Plus, do big conference teams care about a loss to a smaller school? Maybe in football they care but I see big schools and Top 25 teams lose every season to smaller/lower tier teams.