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Tuesday - May 27, 2008

Quick clarification

In my Regional musings post, I wrote:

Six teams from the Big 12 got in...the top 5 at the end of the regular season: Texas A&M (hosting), Oklahoma State (hosting), Nebraska (hosting), Missouri (headed to Miami), and Texas (headed to Rice). And, then Oklahoma (headed to Arizona State). I can't explain the Oklahoma thing. Shrug.

I got an irate email message from an Oregon State fan saying:

Well, OK, sure, you're not a West Coast fan. No problem. But that 'shrug' implied a whole lotta diss in Oregon State's face. Even OU fans think that Oregon State wuz robbed.

I'm writing to clarify: I did not mean to "diss" the Beavers. I cannot explain how Oklahoma gets in while Oregon State sits at home. 'Makes no sense at all. My "shrug" comment was shorthand for: "What the hell were they smoking?" I do not buy the explanation given by the committee. I could almost buy it if Oklahoma had made it to the Championship game. But, they didn't. Of course, had they won the Championship game, there'd be no question. Lots of teams get in by virtue of winning their Conference tournament. Sam Houston State, anyone? But, they didn't get to the Championship game; Texas and Kansas State were there on Sunday. Letting Oklahoma in while leaving Oregon State at home? The Beavers won the whole thing two years in a row! The most recent two years! I have no explanation. And, the committee is doing a very poor job of trying to justify a bad decision.

All it does is make you wonder what someone in Oklahoma has promised to someone on or near that committee. Doesn't it? Just a little bit? It's just weird. They do all kinds of wringing and convoluting to put a Regional in Michigan. And, they can't figure out how to get Oregon State into the Field of 64? But, Oklahoma's there? Is this some sort of bizarre pay-back for that football mess from a couple of years ago? 'Cause, to the best of my recollectin' powers, it was actually that other school in Oregon involved in that mishap.

So, to all my friends in Oregon (and, I actually do have a few friends in Oregon): my most sincere apologies for being unclear and, perhaps, a bit too flippant.

Posted by Joanna at 11:16 PM