1. None of these experts really know where we are going to go. I don't either, and in the experts defense none of them have made any claims that their projections are anything more than a guess on their part. These projections are for discussion- so don't freak out - just take it with a grain of salt. It's for entertainment purposes only and should be taken as such.
2. I doubt we get matched up opposite Florida again. The NCAA usually doesn't like re-matches like that. At least they don't historically- not that it hasn't happened before, but I think it's unlikely.
3. The NCAA doesn't like the SEC dominating college baseball. I don't know why. But they don't. The 1997-1998 CWS with four- five SEC teams was their worst nightmare. For some reason they want to promote the game in the North. I agree- it's stupid on their part, but you're preaching to the choir. Their ideal CWS set-up is maybe two SEC teams with one being LSU, an ACC teams, a Big 12 team, a PAC-12 team, a mid major such as Coastal Carolina and a Big 10 team or Notre Dame, and then another team from a power conference other than the SEC. College baseball will never be popular up north not because of the snow- but because of MLB teams. Fans up north and out west for that matter will always and forever more choose MLB over college baseball. I can't say that I blame them- let's see- Wrigley Field, Fenway, Yankee Stadium, a Cardinals game vs. going to watch UConn or Illinois. Hmmm....
That's why college baseball works in the south. Yes, we have the Braves, but most people are a ways away from those them plus the college football rivalry pagentry with baseball as a spring fix for people with nice stadiums and great players = a great product. The NCAA doesn't get it.
Also- as an aside- I don't think it's a coincidence that the SEC program that is the closest to the Braves, Georgia, is one of the least supported of all SEC teams, and puts a lot less into their program than most SEC schools do.
4. Because the NCAA doesn't get it, they sacrifice accuracy to get what they think are more interesting match-ups to drum up interest. For example- last year MSU playing USM. I guarantee you that they thought a ton of people from Mississippi would take off work to go out to Atlanta to see that game. Didn't happen- but that's how they think.
5. Even if we go to Miami, or somewhere else that people think is dreadful, remember Ron Polk is not managing our pitching staff anymore. Chris Stratton give us a HUGE trump card. We can at worst match and in most cases will be better than most teams aces. The three seed will likely be a C-USA caliber team, or a team from a major conference that had a decent but not great year. The four seed will probably be a mid major that won it's conference tournament. Our biggest concern should be making sure Kendall Graveman is healthy.
We will find out tomorrow!
2. I doubt we get matched up opposite Florida again. The NCAA usually doesn't like re-matches like that. At least they don't historically- not that it hasn't happened before, but I think it's unlikely.
3. The NCAA doesn't like the SEC dominating college baseball. I don't know why. But they don't. The 1997-1998 CWS with four- five SEC teams was their worst nightmare. For some reason they want to promote the game in the North. I agree- it's stupid on their part, but you're preaching to the choir. Their ideal CWS set-up is maybe two SEC teams with one being LSU, an ACC teams, a Big 12 team, a PAC-12 team, a mid major such as Coastal Carolina and a Big 10 team or Notre Dame, and then another team from a power conference other than the SEC. College baseball will never be popular up north not because of the snow- but because of MLB teams. Fans up north and out west for that matter will always and forever more choose MLB over college baseball. I can't say that I blame them- let's see- Wrigley Field, Fenway, Yankee Stadium, a Cardinals game vs. going to watch UConn or Illinois. Hmmm....
That's why college baseball works in the south. Yes, we have the Braves, but most people are a ways away from those them plus the college football rivalry pagentry with baseball as a spring fix for people with nice stadiums and great players = a great product. The NCAA doesn't get it.
Also- as an aside- I don't think it's a coincidence that the SEC program that is the closest to the Braves, Georgia, is one of the least supported of all SEC teams, and puts a lot less into their program than most SEC schools do.
4. Because the NCAA doesn't get it, they sacrifice accuracy to get what they think are more interesting match-ups to drum up interest. For example- last year MSU playing USM. I guarantee you that they thought a ton of people from Mississippi would take off work to go out to Atlanta to see that game. Didn't happen- but that's how they think.
5. Even if we go to Miami, or somewhere else that people think is dreadful, remember Ron Polk is not managing our pitching staff anymore. Chris Stratton give us a HUGE trump card. We can at worst match and in most cases will be better than most teams aces. The three seed will likely be a C-USA caliber team, or a team from a major conference that had a decent but not great year. The four seed will probably be a mid major that won it's conference tournament. Our biggest concern should be making sure Kendall Graveman is healthy.
We will find out tomorrow!
