Thing is, although some of their selections are questionable, no matter how unfair it is to teams like the Cajuns, the committee has been very consistent in (over?)valuing top 25 and top 50 wins (to a somewhat lesser extent winning percentage in those games). They have consistently, right or wrong, rewarded teams for playing tough competition, with higher than deserved seeds.
It doesn't mean those teams are "better" than the ULs and JMUs of the world, but it does mean they will continue to get the benefit of the doubt.
The RPI was created to take in strength of schedule. Looking at who went X-Y over the Top 25 or top 100 is irrelevant. These are arbitrary measures.
Sure, we are 0-1 vs. Top 25, and 2-0 vs. 25-50, 26-3 vs. 50-100, etc. But hey, we are 28-4 versus the top 100 teams, while Ole Miss 23-17. Its arbitrary categories.
Ole Miss lost 5 of last 10. Cajuns lost 0 of last 10.
Its all about how you present the data. But all that is thrown out with the RPI.
I'm no softball aficionado, but trends matter. If they don't in softball seeding, they should. Over the last 3 years, the entire SEC got into the field. That's the most ridiculous stat I've ever seen in sport. And over those last three years, the SEC has zero national titles and haven't even fared that well (if you consider the partiality that the SOS gives to them and the ratio of teams compared to the field). Trends matter.
While I agree with some that SOS matters a whole lot, it's kind of hard to make the argument when the deck is stacked. There's no conspiracy, but there most definitely is bias (whether its subconscious perception or intentional engineering).
Maybe it is just me but I'd rather be going to 11 Mississippi than hosting at 14, 15 or 16. No question that a good weekend can get you to Arizona and no question Arizona is better opportunity than Oklahoma, UCLA.
My frustration remains that NCAA selection committee continues to give not opportunity to schools like UL. Who the hell in power 5 wants to play us in Lafayette. The message to athletes continues to be go to a power 5 school; your team will be rewarded for finishing in the back of the pack simply because you have to play the front of the pack. I'm not saying the cajuns would win 50 games in the sec but imagine how many games they would win year in and year out with the money made by the middle of the pack sec teams. UL softball has to fight for every dollar yet the still have the energy to kick butt. Go Cajuns.
But the teams in the top 25 are teams being considered for a host spot. How can one be considered a host team when they didn’t play any like opponents during the year? How does one know if they are actually a team worthy of being one of the host sites? If only there was a way to see if a team played and won against top 25 teams.
If the RPI is so biased to benefit the SEC, then why didn't the SEC land one of the top 4 overall seeds? How is it that PAC 12 got 2 of the top 4 overall seeds? How is it that the PAC 12 got 3 of the top 8 overall seeds and therefore a chance to host super regionals?
Over emphasized.
Only half of the host teams are facing a top-25 "RPI" opponent.
So what if the host team is facing an opponent better than them. I mean, it's happening in Oxford an no one seems to mind.
There is a difference from rewarding the overall season and stacking the RPI advancement deck.
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