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| Friday, January 4 Updated: January 6, 10:42 PM ET Power 16 user comments ESPN.com |
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Want to start a debate? Just create a ranking of college basketball teams, offer users a chance to e-mail their comments about said ranking and post comments on a weekly basis. That is what ESPN.com has done with its Power 16, a weekly ranking of teams leading up to March. Below are some of the best e-mails received in the past week. Here's what users had to say about ESPN.com's Power 16 on Dec. 31: "Every week I read the comments from people who say that Oklahoma State has not played anyone. There is a good reason for that -- not many teams are willing to do a home-and-home with Oklahoma State. In the past 100 non-conference games played in Stillwater, 99 have been victories (The one winner? Florida Atlantic of all teams). Why? See Maryland at Oklahoma. I would encourage all fans out there -- call your athletic department and encourage them to do a home-and-home with Oklahoma State so we won't have this same discussion next year. OSU basically loses one player that will be difficult to replace -- Mo Baker. A lot of fans think the Cowboys will be an even better team next year than this year. It's time for the 11 teams in this week's Power 16 that Oklahoma State will NOT play this year to put up or shut up. Oh and a sub-20 RPI is not too shabby either."
"I'm glad to see that O-State was able to accomplish a feat that the preseason number 3 and 4 teams in the country were unable to do. We beat a talented Ball State team that could go far in March if they get hot. We also have beaten a good Cincy team, and an Arkansas team that took OU and Illinois to the wire. Need I say more about our Cowboys. Final Four...here we come! Go Cowboys!"
" Kudos to the entire staff of ESPN.COM for shunning the ignorance of many Jayhawk fans who heap boos and hisses upon the 2002 Big 12 Champions-In-Waiting Oklahoma State Cowboys. ESPN.COM, and the exceptionally enlightened Mr. Katz in particular, has always been aware of the great basketball that is played by Gallagher-Iba's inhabitants. Your wisdom and infinite hoop knowledge will be fully realized when Mo Baker and Co. buzz-saw their way through the Jayhawks, Sooners, and Tigers on their way to a fat No.1 seed in the Midwest. So, Mr.Katz, feel free to start saying "I told you so" to "ROCK,CHALK DICKIE V" and all the other invalids who pick Kansas every year in the Big 12."
"What a joke this Power 16 is! No Arizona, Stanford or UCLA. Every year the Pac-10 gets shafted by the national media, yet every year the Pac-10 has 3-4 teams make it to the Sweet 16 in the NCAA Tournament. Haven't you taken notice that Arizona has beaten Florida (1 seed), Illinois (2 seed), and Maryland (2 seed) this year. I wish you East Coast guys would please stay up and watch the west coast games. Isn't that your job? Anyway, you are missing out on some great basketball!"
"Your disclaimer just doesn't cut it. Strength of schedule is worth more than being unbeaten over a bunch of cupcakes. Arizona is 1-1 versus your first seeds, and 2-0 versus your second seeds. We don't have to make excuses for losing to Michigan State and Oregon on the road. Lute for President!"
"You were right in predicting that West Coast fans would be irate at having all three Pac-10 powers omitted from the Power 16. Gonzaga is likely a deserving inclusion, but appears to be no more than charity and a popular pick instead of being truly worth. Picking Syracuse and Miami over any of the three is nothing less than shortsighted. Arizona may have struggled of late, but so has Syracuse and Miami is still very much unproven in much the same mold as Oklahoma State. Arizona is young and their omission can be somewhat understood, but both Stanford and UCLA have beaten quality teams already and could both be as high as No. 2 seeds come tournament time."
"I can't believe your disrespect of the Pac-10 conference. You said some people from the west might be upset with these rankings, well we have a reason to be upset. UCLA is on a long winning streak, capped off with a solid win over Georgetown. Sure, they slipped up a bit at the beginning of the year but they've been solid since. Maybe you'll give them some respect when they knock off Kansas in a couple weeks, since obviously beating Pac-10 teams is nothing special to you."
"Your ratings are a total joke! I wish I could place my bets through you instead of my bookie. Gonzaga over Arizona or Stanford??"
"First of all, I think this is a pretty good Power 16. Finally, those Tigers from Mizzou are out of the Power 16 like they should be. Also, I can't say I'm happy with the placement of the Hawkeyes, but I understand it because of the loss to Northern Iowa. But I'm telling all of you, watch out. Iowa will move into either a 2 or 1 seed by the time the tourney rolls around because of their Big Ten regular-season championship with the Illini in a close second."
"As an Iowa and Big Ten fan, it's time to say good bye to the ultimate pretender, Missouri. Just ask Hawkeyes, Illini, and DePaul. Duke still looks solid at the top, but Kansas should be right there at the end. Jason Williams is the best player in the country at the midseason point, but Drew Gooden and Nick Collison are the best 1-2 punch in America. Luke Recker and Reggie Evans are there, too. In the next two weeks many things will be decided, but Duke will not be able to beat Maryland 3 or 4 times this year."
"I won't question your removal of my tigers after 3 straight losses, though I think they will return to the elite within a matter of weeks. Here is my beef ... the USA Today/ESPN coaches poll. How is anyone supposed to take anything that ESPN says seriously (including your column) if you allow one (or more) of the coaches to vote for 3-8 Temple to be in the top 25? Sure they have played some tough games, but Penn?, Villanova?, Memphis? You have to win some of these games. Please expose this fraud and try to regain some credibility, because if I am a fan of Butler and see that somebody is voting for Temple above my team I have reason to take issue with the problems of college basketball."
"KU was a couple of bottles of Gatorade short to being undefeated this season. It is about time KU has been mentioned with Duke in the same sentence. Kansas has the players to give Duke a run for their money."
"Alabama received the NCAA Selection Committee's message loud and clear. A vastly improved schedule with only two pre-conferences losses and what has Alabama gained? Nothing. Not even a spot in the Power 16 over Gonzaga and Butler. Playing the likes of Missouri, Memphis, UCLA, Utah, Temple, and Notre Dame apparently is not what it takes to garner respect. Hopefully after a strong showing to open the SEC season, Alabama will be honored with a spot among the nation's 'elite'."
"Glad to see Cincinnati in the Power 16. All the hype of Memphis before the season, Cincinnati may be the underdog this year, but they are gonna prove that they still own C-USA."
"Nice job with this weeks Power 16. Syracuse definitely deserves to be in. I follow the 'Cuse heavily, and I want you to be aware that they are going to make some noise in the Big East and in college basketball. Happy New Year and hope the next time you update the Power R's Syracuse will be atop of the rankings."
"I have tried to rationalize and discern WHY you are leaving Virginia out of your No. 1 seeds. Placing schedules side by side and the records of their opponents it seems evident that Virginia being undefeated and twice tested on the road should be one of the top seeds. They play six freshmen, five average 13 minutes or more playing time. Virginia has four players averaging in double figures. They have the whole package to throw at you, Zone, Man to Man, Press, they can slow it down or run with any team in the country. Yes they didn't finish the MSU game, but it was evident Virginia was in control as they had fended off all MSU could throw at them. Could you please tell me your reasoning WHY you have kept them out?"
"Get outta here. You don't have Stanford in your top 16. Stanford beat the green out of Michigan State and is capable of sweeping the bottom half of your Power 16. Curtis Borchard, with his athleticism and soft hands, is by far the best frontcourt player to grace the Stanford campus (and yes, that includes the Collins twins). Julius Barnes, Justin Davis, and Josh Childress form the most athletic Stanford team ever. If you have followed Stanford as long as I have, you'll know this: this is a team that can play with power and finesse and is the best Stanford team that Monty has put together. A couple of early losses and learning to from experiences (read: rely less on Jacobsen, 'cause he can be stopped by quicker and more athletic players) will only make this Stanford team better. We will win the Pac 10! Again... Happy New Years."
"Maryland difinately should be ranked higher. There is no way that Virginia is a better team. Dixon and Baxter are two of the best at their positions, and Blake is the only guard in all of college basketball who can shut down Jason Williams, the premier player of know. Chris Wilcox will only get better and several players are starting to play up to their potential. Gary Williams has been testing his bench during this stretch of easy games and is slowly gaining more confidence in some players, like Ryan Randle and Drew Nicholas, giving them more minutes. They're just flexing their muscles now!"
"I can't believe this!!! Kentucky has won every win by more than 10 points, and ever since their loss to WKU, which was only because they were unprepared, they have played much like a team that should cakewalk into the Final Four. They took Duke into overtime. They are the undisputed No. 1 team in the nation. UK also showed they could play well under pressure when Rick Pitino and the Cards came to town in Rick's first game against UK since he left for the Celtics."
"I am SO glad Gonzaga is finally getting the recognition it deserves. What do these guys have to do to get the real respect they deserve? Although they lost to then ranked No. 2 Illinois and to surprising Marquette, they've beaten -- pretty well, too -- St. John's (who recently knocked off ranked Wake Forest), Texas (w/Owens), Fresno State (w/Ely), and now St. Joe's. These guys are good. Period. Just wait until NCAA tourney time comes around.... I'm seeing a 4th consecutive Sweet 16! Or better!"
"So you have your eye on UCLA. Great. Just one question: Where is USC in all this? I'm not saying they deserve to be in the Power 16 right now, because they don't. They have two losses to unranked (but good) teams. But so does UCLA. USC lost to Fresno State. UCLA lost to Ball State. Both lost to Pepperdine. Both teams played a cupcake non-conference schedule. Neither has a great quality win, unless you count UCLA's win against overrated Georgetown at home. Yet UCLA is ranked 15th in the nation and USC doesn't even have any votes in either poll? Does reputation mean that much? If you are going to keep an eye on UCLA, you'd better keep the other on USC."
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