It all comes down to tonight.

[GObravesGO1981]

AB4L - your opinion is silly and without base.

I'm all for not settling...but lets be real here. A team that lost 95% of its production making any kind of postseason (The Valley Tourney doesn't count - each of the MVC teams gets a shot) is quite an accomplishment.

I'll take a shot at a championship game at MSG over sittin' at home watchin' the dance on CBS.

"It is not without base and my opinion is not crap just like your opinion. This is a forum. Stick to arguing the issue."

Then I'll retract the "silly" part and you can decide for yourself.

You say "Everybody and their mom makes the NIT." Not so.

You argue that we should "turn down any bid" to the NIT. As I see it - thats pretty silly.

And you also say "Boo them when they are down 17-3." WHAT?!?

I argued my points - 1.)never settle and 2.) the NIT is way better than sittin' around watching other schools playing ball.

I think that you should give up the rest of your season tickets to someone who cares and sees the positive direction this program is headed in.

[abraveforlife]

AB4L - your opinion is silly and without base.

I'm all for not settling...but lets be real here. A team that lost 95% of its production making any kind of postseason (The Valley Tourney doesn't count - each of the MVC teams gets a shot) is quite an accomplishment.

I'll take a shot at a championship game at MSG over sittin' at home watchin' the dance on CBS.

"It is not without base and my opinion is not crap just like your opinion. This is a forum. Stick to arguing the issue."

Then I'll retract the "silly" part and you can decide for yourself.

You say "Everybody and their mom makes the NIT." Not so.

You argue that we should "turn down any bid" to the NIT. As I see it - thats pretty silly.

And you also say "Boo them when they are down 17-3." WHAT?!?

I argued my points - 1.)never settle and 2.) the NIT is way better than sittin' around watching other schools playing ball.

I think that you should give up the rest of your season tickets to someone who cares and sees the positive direction this program is headed in.

Like I said....thats why I purchased the tickets. I am not blind to the positives. I have been going to the games since my birth in 83. So...yah.... I really don't care about the program.

[MacabreMob]

First, Nevada and Gonzaga; given that their conferences are not as tough as the Valley, seem to drive themselves into the tournament year in and year out. Im sure that these teams would not settle for anything less.

Gonzaga has been to the NCAA the last 8 years in a row.

Nevada has been to the NCAA the last 3 years in a row.

10 years ago:

Gonzaga had been to the NCAA only 1 time after a 4th place finish in their conference and winning the automatic bid in their conference tourney.

Nevada had been to the NCAA only 2 times.

Overall:
Gonzaga
9 NCAA's
1995 1st appearance
2006 last appearance
12-9 NCAA record (.571)

Nevada
5 NCAA's
1984 1st appearance
2006 last appearance
3-5 NCAA record (.375)

Bradley
8 NCAA's
1950 1st appearance
2006 last appearance
11-8 NCAA record (.579)

[MacabreMob]

Secondly, South Carolina has been the recking machines of the NIT it has done nothing for their program.

South Carolina
2006 NIT Champs
2005 NIT Champs
2002 NIT Runner-Ups

8 NCAA appearances
1971 1st NCAA appearance
2004 last NCAA appearance
4-9 NCAA record (.30

2004 - lost as a 10 seed R1
1998 - lost as 3 seed R1
1997 - lost as 2 seed R1
1989 - lost as 12 seed R1

[LongTimeFan]

Turning Down an NIT Invite

I am sure other old timers will remember when Bradley turned down the NIT several years ago. I believe you might have to go back to the 60's - actually unsure of the time period.

Bradley's recruiting the next year was disastrous. Only one kid was recruited. This was back in the day when recruits could only be signed in the spring. You can make a point that this would not be a concern with Les. However, I believe that kids like to go somewhere that has national exposure. Turning down an invitation might be sending the wrong signal to potential recruits.

Again, this might not be a concern as circumstances are different now and history does not always repeat itself.

[ser_solace]

Turning down an invitation would be an absolutely arrogant thing to do. If it's an NIT invitation, well, that's still a good accomplishment, and it's more of chance for our team to test themselves against good competition.

[Da Coach]

Re: Turning Down an NIT Invite

I am sure other old timers will remember when Bradley turned down the NIT several years ago. I believe you might have to go back to the 60's - actually unsure of the time period.

LongTimeFan- I just do not recall Bradley ever turning down an NIT bid. Are you sure about this?

Bradley usually was grateful for an NIT bid back in the 50's and 60's when only the conference champion went to the NCAA tournament. I can't find any evidence that Bradley was invited to the NIT from 1969-1981, then they appeared twice in the 80's (82 and 85), and 4 times in the 90's, plus 2001. But they never received any bids they tuened down, that I can find.

Now Bradley did turn down the inaugural NCAA to go to the NIT in 1939, but many teams did this since the NIT was a much better and more prestigious tournament then.

These are the teams I can find any references to that turned down an NIT bid:
Maryland and Lefty Dreisell in 1974 turned down an NIT bid because he was disappointed they didn't win the ACC tournament and didn't get the automatic bid to the NCAA. And-
North Carolina State in 1975. They had won the NCAA tournament in 1974, then were snubbed by the NCAA in 1975 despite a record of 22-6. They received an NIT bid, but turned it down. And-
Georgia Tech in 1995, when they exoected an NCAA bid and did not get one, and turned down the NIT. And
Oklahoma State coach Eddie Sutton in 1996 turned down the NIT.
Georgetown in 2002 turned down an NIT bid because he didn't like the fact that they were assigned a road game at Iowa, and they had to travel. Their coach said all the players had classes they would have to miss. I doubt he would have used that excuse if they had gotten an NCAA bid. And-
Arkansas in 2005 was a bubble team and was left out of the NCAA. Coach Stan Heath then announced publically that they would not accept a bid to the NIT before it was offered. The NIT did not offer a bid to Arkansas that year, though they probably would have if Heath had not publically rejected them.