Monday, March 10, 2008

BYU Ranked in Both Polls...Still No Respect

Co-MWC Players of the year: Lee Cummard (left) JR Giddens (right)

Byu is now ranked #23 in the USA Today/ESPN Coaches poll, #24 in the Associated Press Poll, and they have a #21 RPI. This a a pretty big accomplishment, especially since only 5 teams in the entire country have been ranked in the top 25 in both football and basketball.
The Mountain West Conference decided to reward BYU with not giving Coach Dave Rose the Coach of the Year award, making Lee Cummard share the Player of the Year award instead of winning it outright, and only having 2 other BYU players on the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and honorable mention teams. My guess is that the conference did not want to give Coach Rose yet another Coach of the Year award because he has already won it twice. This same issue occured in football as well. All Bronco Mendenhall did was go undefeated in conference play again (2 years in a row), and guide his team to a second consecutive top 15 national ranking, only for the Mountain West Conference to give Coach of the Year honors to Air Force coach Troy Calhoon. Not only this, but the very channel that is dedicated to the Mountain West, the MTN, refuses to lead of its recap shows with BYU in football or basketball even though they are the only ranked teams, and by far the flagship of the conference.
If you could not tell, it is a little frustrating at times to be a BYU fan. Granted I am bias, I admit that, but fan or foe, everyone who knows anything about BYU or the Mountain West Conference knows that how BYU goes, so goes the conference.

**Quick Facts**
BYU has gone 27-5 in conference play in the past 2 years in basketball.
BYU is 16-0 in conference play in the past 2 years in football.
BYU has been ranked as high as #21 in basketball the past 2 years
BYU has been ranked as high as #14 in football the past 2 years

I'd say the conference needs to quit being so jealous and recognize who is their flagship program!!

Upcoming Schedule:
NO. 23/24 BYU COUGARS -- #1 SEED (25-6, 14-2 MWC)
VS.
WYOMING -- #8 SEED / COLORADO STATE -- #9 SEED
Thursday, March 13, 2008
Thomas & Mack Center (18,500)
Las Vegas
Noon PT (1 p.m. MT)

1 comment:

Mark said...

BYU needs to win the tournament to get a good location and seed in the tournament. CSU could surprise them...BYU just can't pull a Ute.