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Subject: Participation Trophies: You Get A Trophy! You Get A Trophy! Author: An Observer [ Next Thread | Previous Thread | Next Message | Previous Message ] Date Posted: 10:46:20 03/07/25 Fri I don't know how long this has been going on, but the Big Ten women's all-conference teams were announced this week and there are *TEN WOMEN* on each of the first and second teams. https://assets.contentstack.io/v3/assets/bltca750cef518bc6e4/blte5c04fb400fbb087/2024-25%20WBB%20Postseason%20Honors.pdf This, despite the fact that basketball is usually played with five on a side. This is participation trophies to the point of satire. Every time Noah Savage broadcasts an Ivy game on ESPN, he advocates for all eight teams making the Ivy Madness tournaments. I could not *DIS*agree with him more strenuously. The Ivy Madness tournaments have done exactly what we thought they would do: They have de-emphasized the value and the drama associated with winning the regular season championship. That's a negative. On the plus side, they have significantly increased the drama and interest for teams in the middle of the pack right through Games 11, 12 and 13. That's exactly what we predicted and that's exactly what we got. If you invite all eight teams to the tournaments, then you completely eliminate the plus side of the equation. Then, you'll have a devalued regular season championship and the only drama in late season games will be whether Penn or Columbia "wins" the #7 seed. Who cares? Noah, leave the fields at four teams each. Late season drama for teams in the middle of the pack is the only upside to de-emphasizing the regular season title. Too many participation trophies already. Next year, the Big Ten will just announce the women who DIDN'T make the all-conference team. [ Next Thread | Previous Thread | Next Message | Previous Message ]

Replies:

[> Subject: Re: Participation Trophies: You Get A Trophy! You Get A Trophy! Author: Go Green [ Edit | View ] Date Posted: 14:31:09 03/07/25 Fri I'm sure the Big 10's defenders will say that they have 18 teams and its harder to be one of the top 5 players in the conference than it is in say, the Ivy. But the counter is that the AP's All-American teams are limited to five players a team (or so they did the last time I checked). [ Post a Reply to This Message ]

[> Subject: Re: Participation Trophies: You Get A Trophy! You Get A Trophy! Author: Ivy Inquisitor (ILT revision) [ Edit | View ] Date Posted: 14:41:48 03/07/25 Fri An Observer: I agree with your opinion on not allowing all eight in the ILT. As for many conferences the regular season has been debased to the point it’s gloried 4 month exhibition. Staying at four keeps some regular season significance. One revision I’d love to happen is byes for top teams . For example top seed automatically advances to the conference championship game, #2 a QF bye and #3 and # 4 play the QF game. This year I believe Ivy Woman’s basketball deserves 2-3 NCAA Tournament slots. Two could be reasonable but three is unlikely. Good thing The WNIT has 64 selections. This year for the men one bid is fair. If Yale doesn’t win the Ivy Madness Tournament, then there’re deserving of the NIT. No matter whomever gets the Men’s bid I expect them to make some noise in the tournament just as HYP has done so for a decade now. [ Post a Reply to This Message ]

[> Subject: Re: Participation Trophies: You Get A Trophy! You Get A Trophy! Author: Brown Fan [ Edit | View ] Date Posted: 08:56:12 03/08/25 Sat An Observer, despite cheering for a team that likely won't make Ivy Madness this year, I couldn't agree with you more. This season would have been beyond boring without the tournament. I could see a better argument for a six-team tournament, with the top two seeds getting a first-round bye. At least in that circumstance there would be incentive and competition. However, I think it would dilute the current drama for finishing 3d and 4th, as those teams now would be guaranteed a place in the tournament. Thus, I think the current system is a better solution. [ Post a Reply to This Message ]