Anthony Parker is my Hero
New member
Although the verdict on the CBI was negative from Around the Horn...they at least mentioned Bradley as one of the four mentioned in the tournament on the show. So we got on ESPN somehow.
Seriously - Did you really expect ESPN, the TV partner with the NIT, to say anything good about a tournament that's directly competing with them? They won't even read the scores of the CBI games during halftime of their NIT games. Kind of petty, don't you think?
Anyone looking at this thing objectively will realize this - This is the inaugural year of the tournament. No tournament in it's first year was by any means a finished product. Way back when the NCAA was an inferior tournament to the NIT in quality and prestige. The times have changed quite a bit. Who knows, in 10, 20, or 30 years there could be no NIT and only a 70-80 team NCAA field. With there clearly being a need and a market for postseason basketball for more than just those teams, the CBI could end up being a great postseason tournament.
Seriously - Did you really expect ESPN, the TV partner with the NIT, to say anything good about a tournament that's directly competing with them? They won't even read the scores of the CBI games during halftime of their NIT games. Kind of petty, don't you think?
Anyone looking at this thing objectively will realize this - This is the inaugural year of the tournament. No tournament in it's first year was by any means a finished product. Way back when the NCAA was an inferior tournament to the NIT in quality and prestige. The times have changed quite a bit. Who knows, in 10, 20, or 30 years there could be no NIT and only a 70-80 team NCAA field. With there clearly being a need and a market for postseason basketball for more than just those teams, the CBI could end up being a great postseason tournament.
Considering the NCAA owns the NIT, I think he's highly unlikely that the NIT is going anywhere anytime soon.
Maybe the CBI will end up being quite successful (I doubt it), but based on its initial (read: bad) response from a number of schools and conferences, I don't see it becoming a big-time event in the near future.
And I don't think ESPN is shunning the CBI because of its partnership with the NIT. It's probably because it's not a very legitimate tournament -- at this point.
You forget about ESPN. Notice what happened to hockey highlights and coverage when they lost rights.
The NIT? Look how many of their games they're broadcasting. Le duh, of course they're going to pay attention to it. The CBI simply doesn't qualify towards being on their radar because ESPN gets no benefit by featuring it.
I still suspect the semis and finals will be mentioned and covered somehow. Not these games though.
The NIT has said publicly that it will not limit its field to teams with .500 or better records just like the CBI did. Plenty of teams have turned down NIT bids in the past as well. Does that not make it legitimate anymore? Aside from Cincinnati being in the field (of which I strongly disagree with), what makes the CBI 'not legitimate'?
ESPN now goes out of its way to belittle the MVC and its teams.
Scouter, when did you get so jaded? This isn't the same guy I remember when I was at BU! Maybe hanging out with Kirk Wessler a little too much ... :-DNo, no. I've just eased up on the Kool-Aid since you were around. I still love BU, but I'm not so quick to see puppies and rainbows all the time. I just think this tournament is a bit silly, especially since it apparently had to invite a sub-.500 team just to fill it out. Maybe 50 years from now it'll be a big deal. I guess I'll have to eat my words then.
Ever tried to catch a MVC score on the ESPN news scroll. If the MVC team is not ranked or playing a ranked opponent, or playing on an ESPN network, you are lucky to see the MVC score 1 out of 3 go-arounds, while scores from smaller conferences are shown more frequently.How many of these teams were actually on the NIT bubble? Bradley certainly wasn't, and it's a 1 seed. Maybe that has more to do with money, I'm not sure.
Ask anyone outside of the participating schools what they think of this tournament. I doubt you'll hear good things about it. If BU was in the NIT, I doubt we'd be speaking so highly of the CBI. And I guess we'll see tomorrow how many fans actually want to see this tournament (note: I will be there because I enjoy watching Bradley play). I know there are logistical reasons that attendance will be down, but how many people will really be excited about this tournament?
How do you figure that?
Ever tried to catch a MVC score on the ESPN news scroll. If the MVC team is not ranked or playing a ranked opponent, or playing on an ESPN network, you are lucky to see the MVC score 1 out of 3 go-arounds, while scores from smaller conferences are shown more frequently.
How do you figure that?
ESPN might start talking about us more if we would just start winning some big games again
ala 06..Bradley has great tradition and all the talking heads know of us, but what do they have to talk about 06!!That year is gone and over!! I love BU bball,but it is time to get in the upper part of the MVC consistently and then they will look at us again and talk tradition
and maybe someday be referred to as the Gonzaga of the midwest or as Butler is referred as a great mid major!! I would like to be Guard U!! I think being called a great mid major
on a consistent basis would be an honor at least then they are talking about us....When they are talking about you people take notice and is what we need during the year and at tourney time!!! So lets just start winning and that will take care of evrything!!