Which Team will be the Object of Bilas' Scorn?

[Masterofreality]

We all know that Mr. Bilas always picks out a team that the Committee thinks is worthy but he, in his infinite wisdom, thinks did not deserve their bid. Of course, that team that is the object of his scorn is never, ever from his network's platinum plated meal ticket league.

So, who will be Bilas' object of scorn this year?

[AviatorX]

I could see St. Mary's filling that role. Maybe.

[MADXSTER]

This will be a good thread.

[GoMuskies]

Uri

[The_Mack_Pack]

Illinois will miss the tournament and he'll bitch about how San Diego State didn't deserve to be in.

[xudash]

I voted before I read your statement, which clearly presumes that each team on the list actually makes the tournament.

UD is in serious jeopardy of not making it, following their visit to the 'burgh today.

[paulxu]

UD is in serious jeopardy of not making it, following their visit to the 'burgh today.

What! The team picked to win the A-10 not in the tournament. Oh..the horror.

[XUOWNSUC]

I say it will be X. Even though we will be a 6th seed. The team I think he will compare us to is uconn.

[xudash]

I say it will be X. Even though we will be a 6th seed. The team I think he will compare us to is uconn.

I don't think that is going to happen. How far did we advance after he soiled himself over that fiasco?

I believe he respects the Xavier program in general, and that he certainly doesn't want to put himself in the position of taking shots at a proven winner - again.

[joe titan]

Bilas hopped the UD banwagen early on; their nosedive makes him look especially poor in judgment.

[The_Mack_Pack]

Bilas hopped the UD banwagen early on; their nosedive makes him look especially poor in judgment.

Dana O'Neil picked Charlotte to win the A-10 on Monday so those ESPN reporters are just a bunch of idiots, I would never make a bet based on any of their opinions.

[danaandvictory]

Great question MOR.

Bilas won't pick on a big conference team that gets in. He's at heart a shill for the power leagues. So if Illinois makes it, it's a testament to their surge in Big Ten play.

The Atlantic 10's resurgence seems to be the popular story among the Bracketology crowd. Bilas has backed Dayton since day one, so if they sneak in he can say I told you so. Rhody benefits from proximity to Bristol and won't bear the brunt of ESPN ire. I expect some backlash, however, because if either Dayton or URI make the field they're going to get monstered in the first round.

Memphis made the Final Four recently, they are a name brand, and ESPN has swept their academic/ethical issues under the rug for years.

So that leaves St. Mary's and SDSU. SMC is a WCC school and thus benefits from regular ESPN coverage and relationship with Gonzaga. The Mountain West is never on ESPN. Unlike UNLV, BYU, and Utah, SDSU has no real basketball pedigree. The Aztecs have to be the play.

[XU-PA]

You can count on it being an A-10 team, whether 4,5, or 6 make it, the last 1 or 2 will be the ones he gets all frothy about.

His commercials make me puke

[THRILLHOUSE]

It will be an A10 team. The college bball media has been obsessed with the A10 and the possibility of 6 teams, and now that isn't likely anymore they seem downright giddy and relieved that we are a 4 bid league at best. And even if they don't complain about an A10 bubble team getting in they will complain about X/Temple/Richmond being seeded to high and predict all of us to lose in the first round.

[xu95]

It won't be Dayton because they aren't getting in.

xu95

[bobbiemcgee]

Great question MOR.

Bilas won't pick on a big conference team that gets in. He's at heart a shill for the power leagues. So if Illinois makes it, it's a testament to their surge in Big Ten play.

The Atlantic 10's resurgence seems to be the popular story among the Bracketology crowd. Bilas has backed Dayton since day one, so if they sneak in he can say I told you so. Rhody benefits from proximity to Bristol and won't bear the brunt of ESPN ire. I expect some backlash, however, because if either Dayton or URI make the field they're going to get monstered in the first round.

Memphis made the Final Four recently, they are a name brand, and ESPN has swept their academic/ethical issues under the rug for years.

So that leaves St. Mary's and SDSU. SMC is a WCC school and thus benefits from regular ESPN coverage and relationship with Gonzaga. The Mountain West is never on ESPN. Unlike UNLV, BYU, and Utah, SDSU has no real basketball pedigree. The Aztecs have to be the play.

Wow. Nice analysis, Cheese. SDSU gets my vote.

[LA Muskie]

I voted for St. Mary's. But honestly, I don't get why people get so upset about Bilas. He's not that bad. Indeed, as a color guy he often has very good insights into strategy and technique. Does he have a bias for BCS-conference schools who play an entire conference schedule against tough conference foes (unlike the likes of St. Mary's)? Sure...but frankly so do I.

To the extent he has ever "hated" on the A-10, it's because the conference wasn't particularly strong. That's not the case this year. I don't think you'll hear anyone complain about the A-10 teams getting in this year. If anything, I think the opposite may be true -- I think we may well hear the ESPN and CBS folks talk about how the A-10 may well have gotten screwed with only 4 bids.

[LA Muskie]

It will be an A10 team. The college bball media has been obsessed with the A10 and the possibility of 6 teams, and now that isn't likely anymore they seem downright giddy and relieved that we are a 4 bid league at best. And even if they don't complain about an A10 bubble team getting in they will complain about X/Temple/Richmond being seeded to high and predict all of us to lose in the first round.

For the reasons explained above, I disagree. I think quite the opposite -- the A-10 has been one of the stories this year, and if anything I think the talking heads will be discussing how the A-10 got screwed with only 4 bids.

[BandAid]

If William & Mary squirts in with an at-large they are your team, but I don't see that happening.

San Diego St. is the best bet.

[xu05usmc]

I'd be more worried of the scorn of Bob Knight. A week ago he said the Big East was deserving of 12 bids if the selection committee was interested in sending the best teams to the tournament.

He also had the following conversation on the bracket special last year:
Reece Davis: Who will be this year's George Mason?
Bob Knight: There won't be another George Mason?
RD: But among the smaller programs who has the best chance to make a run?
BK: You didn't hear me, there won't be another George Mason.

Then again he did always refer to Hansbrough as #50. So it hard to gauge whether he is a big school apologist or just an equal opportunity curmudgeon.