Driving the Waaambulance to MSG

Lots of good content in the AP report on the NIT selection (bracket can be found here):

"I have no way of understanding why we're not in the (NCAA) tournament," Orange coach Jim Boeheim said. "You look at the numbers and it's hard to believe. But it's done. There's no use in talking about it. ... I'm very disappointed. It doesn't do any good to get angry."
Syracuse (22-10) was seeded second in the South and will open against South Alabama on Wednesday night."

Jimmy, there is great reason why your team is not in the NCAA tournament. For the umpteenth year, you have refused to play anybody of merit outside of the Big East, and the two mid-majors (Drexel and Wichita State) you had the balls to schedule, beat you at home. You can't play fifteen consecutive home games, and wonder why you're on the outside looking in.

"Ultimately, we each kind of put on a coaching hat and said who would you not want to play? That's who you kind of vote for," [NIT Selection chair C.M.] Newton said of the seeding process. "In this case, you were comparing Drexel against Air Force. Would you rather play Air Force or Drexel? Would you rather play Clemson or Drexel? Would you rather play Florida State or Drexel? In each case, the vote came out the way that it did," he said.

Drexel, arguably the most egregious snub from the NCAA tournament was relegated to a third-seed in the East region behind West Virginia and Oklahoma State. I think what C.M. Newton is saying is that the Colonial Athletic Association is good enough to make it to the Final Four, and have two teams in the Big Dance, but they don't quite have the cachet and name recognition as Air Force, Clemson or Florida State. Joe Lunardi may be an asshat, but for the better part of this week, he recognized the Dragons as being one of the 34 best teams to not win their conference tournament.

"They told us last year, go play some good teams on the road. We do, and we win some of those games, but it still wasn't enough," coach Bruiser Flint said. "We're out of it. There is no consolation."

Bruiser, you must look past the slight from the commitee and motivate your boys to go out there, and compete. Not just for competition's sake, but for the city of Philadelphia. It's been a long time since this city has tasted victory, and with the untimley passing of an American hero, the people need something to make them believe again. Do it for the city, Mr. Flint. Do it...for Philadelphia.