{"id":2036,"date":"2011-01-31T21:54:42","date_gmt":"2011-02-01T02:54:42","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/jmusportsblog.com\/?p=2036"},"modified":"2011-02-10T19:58:15","modified_gmt":"2011-02-11T00:58:15","slug":"bracketbuster-matchup-disappointing-for-dukes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/jmusportsblog.com\/?p=2036","title":{"rendered":"Bracketbuster Matchup Disappointing For Dukes"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Thanks ESPN!<\/p><\/div>\n

Time to bust out the turd sandwich again as the Dukes got a standard ESPN load dropped on them during the Bracketbusters selections today.\u00a0 While other CAA teams will get\u00a0glamour matchups to\u00a0showcase their wares to postseason tournament committees, the Dukes will be hosting lowly Miami\u00a0(Ohio) in a game sure to not fill the stupid\u00a0risers.\u00a0Apparently, this year’s men’s team will pay for the 17 point second-half collapse against Hofstra last week in many ways.\u00a0 Actually four to be specific.<\/p>\n

First off, they’re obviously paying for it in the standings by currently sitting alone in the dreaded five spot, which is the best spot not to get a bye in the CAA tourney.\u00a0 That said, I’d love the four or the five spot but we’ll have more time for that discussion later.<\/p>\n

Second, five CAA teams were selected for televised Bracketbusters matchups two weekends from now by ESPN.\u00a0 Only Drexel is currently sitting below the Dukes in the standings and they have camera-darling Bruiser Flint and a win at Louisville so it’s hard to look anywhere besides the mirror when the Dukes think about how much they were dumped on.\u00a0 The Hofstra game seems likely as if it would’ve flipped the HU\/JMU spots in Bracketbusters.<\/p>\n

Third, a home game against a 9-12 MAC team probably hurts the Dukes RPI even with a win and does nothing to animate a skeptical student fanbase on campus.<\/p>\n

And finally, in a dagger that stretch to the post-Denzel era, the Dukes will have to repay the favor of participating in this ESPN sphincter-crushing charade by going to Miami (Ohio) during the 2012-13 season in what will likely be another RPI-depressant.<\/p>\n

OK, my night of gloomy toilet humor is over at last.\u00a0 Remember, the Dukes have four games against RPI Top 50 teams, all of which sit ahead of them in the CAA,\u00a0coming up to seriously impress (VCU x2, GMU, ODU) and are playing with heart and a chance at greatness for the first time in years.\u00a0 Starts with a sweet tv game on Comcast SportsNet (the one everyone gets, not the crappy one) on Wednesday at 7 against the Tribe\/Griffin\/Wren\/Pugs.\u00a0 Let’s Go Dukes!<\/p>\n