Final Week of Sun Belt Play

[DocCajun]

I’m sure it’s been explained eslewhere (please link to thread if it has) but why is SBC using this format?

Is there a good rationale or is this just a new entry into the Sun Belts greatest hits of sunbelting itself?

[GoneGolfin]

I’m sure it’s been explained eslewhere (please link to thread if it has) but why is SBC using this format?

Is there a good rationale or is this just a new entry into the Sun Belts greatest hits of sunbelting itself?

Speculating ... but it allows for a fixed schedule and coaches like that. It is also less taxing on the pitching. If you are one of the #1 or #2 seeds (4 teams), you can win with three starters instead of four. However, it is a shame that the top seeds can be eliminated in their first game, even though the top seeds (above) can certainly utilize strategy and go all in for that one and only one meaningful pool game. That is not a tournament and in my opinion, outweighs the positives. This is for a postseason bid. Add in that there are a number of meaningless games in this tournament format ...

Brian

[DocCajun]

Speculating ... but it allows for a fixed schedule and coaches like that. It is also less taxing on the pitching. If you are one of the #1 or #2 seeds (4 teams), you can win with three starters instead of four. However, it is a shame that the top seeds can be eliminated in their first game, even though the top seeds (above) can certainly utilize strategy and go all in for that one and only one meaningful pool game. That is not a tournament and in my opinion, outweighs the positives. This is for a postseason bid. Add in that there are a number of meaningless games in this tournament format ...

Brian

Helpful as always. Thanks

[GoneGolfin]

Speculating ... but it allows for a fixed schedule and coaches like that. It is also less taxing on the pitching. If you are one of the #1 or #2 seeds (4 teams), you can win with three starters instead of four. However, it is a shame that the top seeds can be eliminated in their first game, even though the top seeds (above) can certainly utilize strategy and go all in for that one and only one meaningful pool game. That is not a tournament and in my opinion, outweighs the positives. This is for a postseason bid. Add in that there are a number of meaningless games in this tournament format ...

Also, I believe that Jay mentioned the concern of many regular season games potentially getting canceled due to Covid ... and being in a difficult spot determining what is fair from the standpoint of qualifying for the conference tournament. Thus, the league wanted to invite all teams to the tournament. But even with this, I strongly feel that there are better tournament formats available with all twelve teams playing.

Brian

[Jacob81]

Well, we now have the current situation ...

The Cajuns play Texas State on Wednesday at 7pm as the #1 seed from the West and the top seed in Pool C with #4 (East) Appalachian State and #6 (West) Texas State.

That game vs. Texas State will either be meaningless (if Texas State loses to App State on Tuesday), with an elimination game on Thursday vs. App State ... or will be an elimination game (if Texas State defeats App State on Tuesday) with the Thursday game vs. App State meaningless. But one or the other will be an elimination game for the Cajuns with the other game meaningless. If the Cajuns win the meaningful game, they will advance to the semis on Saturday.

Brian

I read your senario 5 times and still confused a bit.

If Texas state loses on Tuesday, then beats us Wednesday, then we beat app.. all teams 1-1. What happens??

[ULvictory]

I read your senario 5 times and still confused a bit.

If Texas state loses on Tuesday, then beats us Wednesday, then we beat app.. all teams 1-1. What happens??

We advance for having the highest seed

[GoneGolfin]

I read your senario 5 times and still confused a bit.

If Texas state loses on Tuesday, then beats us Wednesday, then we beat app.. all teams 1-1. What happens??

We would advance in this scenario since we have the highest seed. But the point is ... in this situation, the only meaningful game is the Thursday game vs. App State. The Wednesday game would be useless. Texas State would have already been eliminated and the pool winner would come down to the Thursday game (UL vs. App State).

IOW, the loser of the Tuesday Texas State vs. App State game is eliminated. The only game that matters at that point is the winner of that game vs. Louisiana. The winner of that game will advance from the pool.

So let's call a spade a spade and eliminate the unnecessary games from this tournament format. To do this, we simply do the following ...

All of the Tuesday games are elimination games featuring the lowest two seeds in each of the Pools. The winners of each of these games then play a single game against the top seeds in each of the Pools. These four winners then advance to the semis on Saturday. This will eliminate four unnecessary games in the tournament (one in each Pool).

It all boils down to this ... forget the pool play nonsense. What we have is a single elimination tournament all the way through to the tournament title ... with four exhibition games thrown in that do not count. It is up to the teams to be smart enough to know which games are the exhibition games. But I guess the league needs to sell more tickets.

Brian

[Jacob81]

Thanks. Somewhere way back in this thread I didn’t read must have mentioned the tie breaker.

[LaCajunsFan]

We would advance in this scenario since we have the highest seed. But the point is ... in this situation, the only meaningful game is the Thursday game vs. App State. The Wednesday game would be useless. Texas State would have already been eliminated and the pool winner would come down to the Thursday game (UL vs. App State).

IOW, the loser of the Tuesday Texas State vs. App State game is eliminated. The only game that matters at that point is the winner of that game vs. Louisiana. The winner of that game will advance from the pool.

So let's call a spade a spade and eliminate the unnecessary games from this tournament format. To do this, we simply do the following ...

All of the Tuesday games are elimination games featuring the lowest two seeds in each of the Pools. The winners of each of these games then play a single game against the top seeds in each of the Pools. These four winners then advance to the semis on Saturday. This will eliminate four unnecessary games in the tournament (one in each Pool).

It all boils down to this ... forget the pool play nonsense. What we have is a single elimination tournament all the way through to the tournament title ... with four exhibition games thrown in that do not count. It is up to the teams to be smart enough to know which games are the exhibition games. But I guess the league needs to sell more tickets.

Brian

Ok, I had not tried to understand this too much until the seeding was done, but I have to say I am still struggling to understand this...given the possible scenarios. This is some truly confusing manure, I must say.

I guess the only scenario I still have trouble understanding/accepting, is if TxSt wins Tuesday, and beats us Wednesday, even if we beat App on Thursday we are out?

[moorecajun]

Ok, I had not tried to understand this too much until the seeding was done, but I have to say I am still struggling to understand this...given the possible scenarios. This is some truly confusing manure, I must say.

I guess the only scenario I still have trouble understanding/accepting, is if TxSt wins Tuesday, and beats us Wednesday, even if we beat App on Thursday we are out?

I am no GoneGolfin, but I can answer this one: TxState would have 2 wins and we would have 1. They go, we no go.

[LaCajunsFan]

I am no GoneGolfin, but I can answer this one: TxState would have 2 wins and we would have 1. They go, we no go.

Yeah, that's what I got as well. So then....what is the motivation for either us with the App game? This is just to so weird.

[NOCajun]

Well, what it really comes down to is that old quote: "Just win, baby!"

#cULture
#WeAreLouisiana
#GeauxCajuns