Somewhat early 2024 Draft thread

[Bronco Billy]

The biggest problem the NCAA has here is there are two strategies on picking the top 4. Subjectively pick the "best" four teams in the country and use the regular season records as a factor OR Use the regular season as the barometer on who the top 4 teams are. What they did this year is blend the two strategies. We don't have the "best" 4 teams in the final 4 and we definitely didn't reward the best 4 regular season performances. It is about money and they aren't particularly trying to hide it.

If it’s about $$$ (and I agree that it is) then they should definitely expand to 16. That gives you 15 playoff games for those 16 teams, meaning the top bowl games are still getting the 4 quarterfinals, 2 semifinals, and the championship but the tier of bowls below them are now involved in the championship process and the interest and revenues go up substantially. That then improves the bowl tiers below them because those bowls are getting much better teams playing than they are now. Everybody wins and makes a lot more money.

Look at the resistance there was in expanding the basketball tournament and what a monstrous event it has become since that expansion. It’s the best championship event in sports and it’s a money printing machine.

[Cameron Giles]

I think a Top-12 is perfect. The Top-4 teams get rewarded with a bye. And overall, you get the 10 best teams + two worthy "underdogs" outside it.

This doesn't have to be March Madness. March Madness is fun, but the one smudge on it is that it rarely crowns the best team in college basketball. There are too many upsets in some years.

So, for example this year: Oklahoma, LSU, Arizona and Louisville would've been the last 4 out. I'm ok with that. Good teams will get snubbed every year, but it doesn't bother me that a 2 or 3 loss team won't get a chance.

[Bronco Billy]

I think a Top-12 is perfect. The Top-4 teams get rewarded with a bye. And overall, you get the 10 best teams + two worthy "underdogs" outside it.

This doesn't have to be March Madness. March Madness is fun, but the one smudge on it is that it rarely crowns the best team in college basketball. There are too many upsets in some years.

So, for example this year: Oklahoma, LSU, Arizona and Louisville would've been the last 4 out. I'm ok with that. Good teams will get snubbed every year, but it doesn't bother me that a 2 or 3 loss team won't get a chance.

Bah. Make them earn it on the field. One of the best things of March Madness are the midrange schools that were seriously underestimated by the “experts” and upend the alleged favorites. It works at the lower levels with more schools involved. The politics and “expert” polls go out the door when the teams have to meet on the field.

[Cameron Giles]

I think a Top-12 is perfect. The Top-4 teams get rewarded with a bye. And overall, you get the 10 best teams + two worthy "underdogs" outside it.

This doesn't have to be March Madness. March Madness is fun, but the one smudge on it is that it rarely crowns the best team in college basketball. There are too many upsets in some years.

So, for example this year: Oklahoma, LSU, Arizona and Louisville would've been the last 4 out. I'm ok with that. Good teams will get snubbed every year, but it doesn't bother me that a 2 or 3 loss team won't get a chance.

Bah. Make them earn it on the field. One of the best things of March Madness are the midrange schools that were seriously underestimated by the “experts” and upend the alleged favorites. It works at the lower levels with more schools involved. The politics and “expert” polls go out the door when the teams have to meet on the field.

I just don't think including the #13-16 teams helps in any way of deciding who the best team is. I wouldn't be shocked if it happened anyway, because money. but it doesn't add anything competitively. You look at the conference championship games:

- Michigan killed #17 Iowa
- Texas killed #20 Oklahoma State
- Florida State beat #15 Louisville with a backup QB

These 15-20 ranked teams are around the same level as those 13-16 teams.

I think 12 teams does a good job of making sure you get all the great teams and a few pretty good ones.

[Bronco Billy]

I think a Top-12 is perfect. The Top-4 teams get rewarded with a bye. And overall, you get the 10 best teams + two worthy "underdogs" outside it.

This doesn't have to be March Madness. March Madness is fun, but the one smudge on it is that it rarely crowns the best team in college basketball. There are too many upsets in some years.

So, for example this year: Oklahoma, LSU, Arizona and Louisville would've been the last 4 out. I'm ok with that. Good teams will get snubbed every year, but it doesn't bother me that a 2 or 3 loss team won't get a chance.

Bah. Make them earn it on the field. One of the best things of March Madness are the midrange schools that were seriously underestimated by the “experts” and upend the alleged favorites. It works at the lower levels with more schools involved. The politics and “expert” polls go out the door when the teams have to meet on the field.

I just don't think including the #13-16 teams helps in any way of deciding who the best team is. I wouldn't be shocked if it happened anyway, because money. but it doesn't add anything competitively. You look at the conference championship games:

- Michigan killed #17 Iowa
- Texas killed #20 Oklahoma State
- Florida State beat #15 Louisville with a backup QB

These 15-20 ranked teams are around the same level as those 13-16 teams.

I think 12 teams does a good job of making sure you get all the great teams and a few pretty good ones.

Yeah, I get that and understand your position. I’d just like to see the top teams play as well and I definitely do not like the additional advantage they’d get above and beyond their superior talent level by getting a bye week, and that extra advantage is no small thing.

[blemly]

Anything beyond 12 (with the t4 earning byes) isn’t feasible. That alone results in an extra 3-4 games on top of the regular season, which creates time and rest concerns for all involved.

[81-]

So Williams is sitting out the bowl game. guess that officially puts him into the nfl draft

[spotxc]

It's a joke and this year might be the worst. Best this, best that... The games are played for a reason. If these people know this team is better and will win, they should just bet everything and become a billionare as they'll never lose. Pretty simple. But we all know how that works; people really don't know. Real games matter more than fairy tales in peoples' heads. Thats why the games are played. Sad day for sports as this took away integrity from the game.

This coming from a Florida fan also as you can see. Shows how messed up it was

[Cameron Giles]

So Williams is sitting out the bowl game. guess that officially puts him into the nfl draft

I don't think there was ever a doubt. NIL packages can't compete with #1 draft pick money.

[Bronco Billy]

Anything beyond 12 (with the t4 earning byes) isn’t feasible. That alone results in an extra 3-4 games on top of the regular season, which creates time and rest concerns for all involved.

How do the lower level players with their playoffs (immediately after the regular season no less) and the pros ever survive?

[CGW]

So Williams is sitting out the bowl game. guess that officially puts him into the nfl draft

I'm totally shocked. Really thought he would bypass tens of millions to stay at school and play another year at USC to lose a bunch of games because they can't field a high school level defense.

[wickerkat1212]

Watching my newly acquired orphan team, and their picks. Currently have the 1.02, and the 1.04 is now the 1.05. I've seen what I think is the top FOUR in TEP leagues:

Williams
Maye
Harrison
Bowers

Or something like that.

Who do you all have as #5: Nabers? Egbuka? Henderson? Is there a consensus?

[yinzername]

Nabers for me, here in early December

[CGW]

Watching my newly acquired orphan team, and their picks. Currently have the 1.02, and the 1.04 is now the 1.05. I've seen what I think is the top FOUR in TEP leagues:

Williams
Maye
Harrison
Bowers

Or something like that.

Who do you all have as #5: Nabers? Egbuka? Henderson? Is there a consensus?

Easily Nabers at this point. He's closer to MHJ than he is Egbuka or any other WR at this point. I need to see combine and landing spot for Henderson before I could consider him that high.

[Jigga94]

I have Nabers ahead of Bowers unless the TE premium is a full point extra