11-01-2017, 10:20 AM
(This post was last modified: 11-01-2017, 10:55 AM by Viking_Guy.)
OA--
Officially, the travel policy is "for security reasons" - the NCAA wants to minimize flights. I think the way it works is that they will only cover travel costs for bus transportation unless the trip is longer than 400 miles, although schools are free to pay more (was researching it looking at the men's soccer tournament, where I Google-mapped directions from Irvine (I think) to Stanford to find out if it was under the cap.
Of course, they also use it to justify regional bracketing, even if the seed lines aren't quite an S-curve (with the top seed against the lowest, and the second against second-lowest, etc.). So if Santa Clara isn't playing Stanford, it's often playing C.al. Or St. Mary's.
It works to the western teams' disadvantage because there are a limited number of teams to draw on -- back east, there's always a small-conference champion or three in easy range to pair against top-seeds. Think about UConn in women's basketball always ending up playing Quinnipiac, or Boston University, or Central Connecticut State, in a subregional at Storrs or Hartford. Or Penn State women's volleyball, playing Bucknell or Colgate in the first couple rounds of the tournament at State College.
At least now with only a single game in the first weekend, the obviousness unfairness of matching a top seed against a local team better seeded as a second or third round opponent has made the committee a little circumspect.
One other issue is that Santa Clara just know us very well - we play every year, they watch our games, and they always give us a tough match; witness the game at Buck Shaw earlier this season, 2-1 with Jahansouz having to save a penalty kick in the second half.
And to second OA's point about the effect of injury last year, this year's only loss was a direct result of McGrady getting banged up and subbed in about the 70th minute of the Florida game - both late goals for the Gators started on plays up the right side. It was also similar in that Stanford had spurned a couple of chances to make it a 3-1 lead - notably Kuhlmann being unable to put the ball on frame 1v1 with the keeper.
VG
Officially, the travel policy is "for security reasons" - the NCAA wants to minimize flights. I think the way it works is that they will only cover travel costs for bus transportation unless the trip is longer than 400 miles, although schools are free to pay more (was researching it looking at the men's soccer tournament, where I Google-mapped directions from Irvine (I think) to Stanford to find out if it was under the cap.
Of course, they also use it to justify regional bracketing, even if the seed lines aren't quite an S-curve (with the top seed against the lowest, and the second against second-lowest, etc.). So if Santa Clara isn't playing Stanford, it's often playing C.al. Or St. Mary's.
It works to the western teams' disadvantage because there are a limited number of teams to draw on -- back east, there's always a small-conference champion or three in easy range to pair against top-seeds. Think about UConn in women's basketball always ending up playing Quinnipiac, or Boston University, or Central Connecticut State, in a subregional at Storrs or Hartford. Or Penn State women's volleyball, playing Bucknell or Colgate in the first couple rounds of the tournament at State College.
At least now with only a single game in the first weekend, the obviousness unfairness of matching a top seed against a local team better seeded as a second or third round opponent has made the committee a little circumspect.
One other issue is that Santa Clara just know us very well - we play every year, they watch our games, and they always give us a tough match; witness the game at Buck Shaw earlier this season, 2-1 with Jahansouz having to save a penalty kick in the second half.
And to second OA's point about the effect of injury last year, this year's only loss was a direct result of McGrady getting banged up and subbed in about the 70th minute of the Florida game - both late goals for the Gators started on plays up the right side. It was also similar in that Stanford had spurned a couple of chances to make it a 3-1 lead - notably Kuhlmann being unable to put the ball on frame 1v1 with the keeper.
VG