Wishful Thinking: Did we submit an NIT Host Application?

[PonyTime]

From the WAC FOrum - posted by a Rice fan:

"What do you think of SMU's tournament chances? Will any Pony fans follow the team to Tulsa? I find this all especially interesting since now it looks like Texas Tech is NIT bound and A&M is still in the NIT running. If neither SMU nor Rice makes the NCAAs, do you think we'll see SMU-Texas Tech and Rice-A&M in the NITs? Did SMU submit an NIT host application the way Rice is rumored to have? "

I know that the NIT is a long shot - but if Rice is submitting for hosting - why shouldn't we - the team that has swept Rice, and could finish in 1st place in the WAC (three more wins and we could be in the NIT vs. the Ags or Tech, I would think that our SOS beats out Rice, esp with Wake on the list)

[TUfan]

No offense to either school, but the NIT will probably look at your attendance for the season and laugh. They want a sold out game in order to maximize profit.

[Eddie P]

I doubt we're going anywhere postseason-wise unless we win the tourney. However, we did go to the NIT once in recent years and our attendance was hardly staggering that year...it's not like we were averaging 7k at Moody at the time. And that game was held at SW Missouri, I believe. Since this is a fun topic, I'll speculate that it would be a lot of fun to have SMU host Texas Tech at Moody for an NIT game. That game would sell-out easily, I believe. But again, that's a pipe dream.

[JasonB]

I think a win against LT and two in the tourney probably puts SMU in the NIT since they closed out the season strong. But there is no way SMU gets an NIT home game. We would play at A&M or TT.

Home attendance doesn't affect you getting into the NIT, it only affects your chances of hosting it.

[Nacho]

No way will SMU host an NIT game. Rice drws much worse than we do. They aren't going to host a game either.

I can see SMU playing at an away site such as Lubbock, if we end up winning 18 games.

[PonyTime]

TU Fan - If you don't think that an SMU-Texas Tech or SMU-A&M matchup would sell out in Dallas, you are crazy.

Now - I agree - SMU's chances are bad to very bad at getting in. And even worse for actually hosting.

My point is that - I speculate that our crack team of athletic department staff didn't even bother submitting an application, while those at Rice likely did.

It tells you something about the athletic department at SMU and how proactive they are at these things.

If anyone knows any differnent, please let us know . . .

[TUfan]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR><font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by PonyTime:
<B>TU Fan - If you don't think that an SMU-Texas Tech or SMU-A&M matchup would sell out in Dallas, you are crazy.
</B></font><HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Think HARD about the NIT-- they will set up a team like TT to make it to the finals, and in the process they will reward them with a first round home game.
Recent history for an example--
Tulsa in 2001:
1st Round: home against UC-Irvine
2nd round: At Mississippi State
3rd Round: At Minnesota
Then to NY.

[MustangFan]

SMU backs out of hosting a (soccer) national championship and you think we're going to bid to host a game for the right to say "we're #66!" ?? No way.

[PX]

Jeryl Sassers senior year SMU won 18 games and had an RPI considerably higher than this year (around 80) and the NIT wasnt even vaguely interested. Consider that 96 teams make the post season, and around 12 or so that have RPI's above 100 will get automatic bids to the NCAA tournament by winning their conference. That means you need to be around 75 in the RPI to start talking about NIT consideration. We're off by about 45 places.
Its terribly naive to think that attendance isnt important to the NIT folks, and it shows you dont really understand this process. The NIT exists to make money. Teams that draw well at home have more dedicated fans, fans that will watch them on TV and buy tickets to follow them on the road. Ticket sales and TV ratings are how the NIT makes their money, so attendance is the 2nd largest factor in who the NIT invites, and the single most important factor in who gets to host. They would take a school from one of the BCS leagues that has a large following but a losing record, before they would invite SMU again.

[Charleston Pony]

We need to put this NIT pipedream to bed. Ain't gonna happen. No way, no how! It's all about $$$ and that means the teams with the best followings, even if they are .500 overall and finished 5-11 in their conference. Just look at some of the NIT's recent invites!

Consider this: from the ACC; UNC, Clemson, Virginia & Ga Tech might be available. From the Big XII; TTech, Colorado, A$M and Iowa St. From the SEC; Tenn, Alabama & LSU. From the Big 10; Mich St, Iowa & Ohio St. From the Big East (the darlings of the NIT); Villanove, Providence, St Johns & Georgetown. Think we'll be invited before any of them??? From the Pac 10; Arizona St & Oregon St.

That's before you start comparing us to the other mid-majors. Let's talk about attendance at UNLV or SW MO or Wichita St or Temple or even W.Ky or La-Lafayette before SMU even hits the radar screen. Don't under-estimate the negative impact our lack of fan support has on this program.

Finally: with Fresno out, this is definitely a year where only the Tourney champ goes to the NCAA. That probably means Tulsa and possibly Nevada are the only WAC schools with any hopes of the NIT. Reality can be harsh.

Go Ponies. Let's win out and get the NCAA bid at 19-12. That ought to be good for what, about a 12-13 seed? A 12 seed is actually a great seed, because if you're hot, you can play with a 5 seed and a win gets you a date with a 4 seed. That's 2 possible upset games and hopefully where the WAC Tourney winner will be seeded.

[PonyTime]

PX and others - You may have missed my point.

Q.) Why is Rice (a team that we have swept)bidding to host?
A.) Because their Athletic Department is proactive.

Sometimes I believe that the SMU Athletic Department's motto is similar to Homer Simpson's:

"If at first you don't succeed, never try again."

A La - the NCAA Soccer Championships at SMU

[PX]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR><font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by PonyTime:
<B>PX and others - You may have missed my point.

Q.) Why is Rice (a team that we have swept)bidding to host?
A.) Because their Athletic Department is proactive.

Sometimes I believe that the SMU Athletic Department's motto is similar to Homer Simpson's:

"If at first you don't succeed, never try again."

A La - the NCAA Soccer Championships at SMU</B></font><HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

My response was to JasonB and most specifically to the statement that attendance wasnt a factor, not to you.
I happen to agree whole heartedly that its better to be proactive. I firmly believe that 2 years ago our womens team was shafted out of an NIT bid because we hadnt filed the application to host, even though their RIP was around 70, with a strength of schedule in the 50s. Schools that offer to host and guarantee to sell a certain amount of tickets are looked on more favorably by the WNIT, which is considerably more strapped for cash than the mens tournament. Several teams ranked way below us did get in, and the reasons why we were excluded were never properly explained. At least not to my satisfaction.
Rice probably decided to file for an NIT host spot earlier in the year, when it seemed like they were on a roll. Even then, though, they had to realize that their chances of hosting were almost non-existent, beside having a small fan base they play in one of D1's smallest gyms. Even if the game sold out it wouldnt make enough to keep the NIT happy.

[Charleston Pony]

Rice's application might include playing a game in one of the Houston area's larger arenas...I know the College of Charleston always applies just as soon as they are eliminated from the NCAA Tourney...provided the North Charleston Coliseum is available (seats 11,000 vs C of C's 3,600 capacity arena). With Rice having an RPI under 100, I agree it doesn't hurt to get your resume out there.