Daily Archives: February 22, 2007

Pool C math error, are you kidding?

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Some schools hold dual membership in the NCAA and NAIA, and some declare themselves ineligible for the NCAA Tournament in order to participate in a smaller association’s postseason.

But that would all have been decided long ago. There is no reason why we should be finding out three days before Selection Sunday that we’re going to be shorted one Pool C bid, as the men drop from 19 to 18. Pool B gets one added, from three to four.

The mysterious ruling that Carthage and Hope are somehow 199 miles apart this year — that I can accept, though I know and understand why others can’t. But to make a math error in this crucial an area, I cannot accept.

The credibility of the NCAA takes another big hit here.

LiveStats, not for the faint of heart

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You will notice a new feature on the right hand side of our front page, listing links video and “livestats” updates from in-progress action. It is quite the useful tool for those who like to track multiple games at once. LiveStats is a different kind of way to watch a game and for those of us who appreciate Division III so much, different is good.

However, it should come with a warning…”Staring at LiveStats for too long can cause symptoms such as pounding-heart, increased blood pressure, and significant bouts of impatience .”

Live Stats!I experienced all of those on Wednesday night, when the team for which I normally broadcast, had two playoff games going at once, and I chose to work the women’s game, since the men’s contest had LiveStats capabilites.

My women’s broadcast ended before the men’s game concluded, so I let my listeners know that I’d be staying on the air until the men’s game was done. This led to what essentially was a broadcast of a broadcaster watching LiveStats, which is entertaining if you know me, and rather silly if you don’t. Listening to it now, I find it rather comical. I’m glad no one had a video camera to catch my facial expressions.

The go-ahead basket late in this game was scored by a player who hadn’t scored a point in conference play all season. Surely, I thought, this had to be a misprint, and I mumbled a few choice words under my breath for the scorekeeper, who, it turned out, was correct all along. Trust in the printed word is critical to LiveStat enjoyment.

The final seconds came down to free throws, and there was a good, long pause, between the first and second makes, just long enough for me to check that my heartbeats weren’t being heard over the air. The previous week, LiveStats had caused me moments of great angst, as in one viewing, an opponent made four 3-pointers with less than a minute to play to rally and win. This time, there was jubliation. “I believe that’s it….I believe that’s it!!!” is how I explained to my listeners that the team had won.

LiveStats may zap some of the descriptive process that comes with listening on radio, or if you’re lucky, watching a videocast, but the entertainment value can be just as great. So I encourage you to give it a try and maybe, if you’re lucky, you’ll get as wrapped up in “watching” as I did on Wednesday night.