There is a lot of bravado about the location of our first round playoff match-up, and opponent. I just want to make sure that we're not going to let the fellas run out into a stadium full of 80,000 chant-stealing, Orange-clad Clemson fans in a virtual road game. (Next week, they'll be accusing the USMNT of stealing the "I believe that we will win" chant from them.) Ultimately, the team will have to go through that, but I'm not above saying that it would be beneficial to catch a very talented Alabama team in a virtual home game. At the very least, I hope the "who cares?" crowd is ready to pony up for plane tickets. I remember the 2003 Sugar Bowl. That's why I choose to care about where Oklahoma is seeded today.
And FWIW, any modeling algorithm worth a glance, that predicts with any accuracy, measures both who you beat AND how you beat them. Right now, the powers-that-be-with-Big 10-partnerships seem to be leaving the second half of that equation out. Ignoring data like score differential and time spent leading/trailing is a great way to build a terrible model of relative quality. All four teams could have multiple losses if the ball bounced a different way, but Michigan State is the one that hasn't had a dominant performance against a very high quality opponent. I think they're fairly clear as the 4th best team in the tournament.
But they'll probably wind up third, and I'll be on Jetblue later booking a flight.
And FWIW, any modeling algorithm worth a glance, that predicts with any accuracy, measures both who you beat AND how you beat them. Right now, the powers-that-be-with-Big 10-partnerships seem to be leaving the second half of that equation out. Ignoring data like score differential and time spent leading/trailing is a great way to build a terrible model of relative quality. All four teams could have multiple losses if the ball bounced a different way, but Michigan State is the one that hasn't had a dominant performance against a very high quality opponent. I think they're fairly clear as the 4th best team in the tournament.
But they'll probably wind up third, and I'll be on Jetblue later booking a flight.
