The big difference is that it isn't of nearly as much value to most other conferences. The biggest value is to the teams in the 6-8 slot who are near 0.500. How many other conferences have teams 6-8 who have a shot at the NCAA tournament when they are near 0.500?
The PAC 12....and they don't bother with a useless tournament that adds stress and injury for no reason prior to the real tournament. Question? Do you think maybe UCLA had an advantage in the Elite 8 going up against 6 ACC teams that had to play stress games late last year? HMMMMMMM
Isn't practicing for something good at getting better at that something? Are you arguing that playing highly competitive meaningful games late in the year is NOT good to prepare to play highly competitive meaningful games late in the year? I hear soccer people talking about the importance of 'meaningful games' all the time. Not usually hearing about 10 days rest between competitive matches being good. not at any level.
A team can have too many competitive games. IMO, an honest coach would tell you that, in an 18-game regular season, they would like 6 where they are favored, 6 where there is no favorite, and 6 where they are the underdog.
Actually, I think most coaches would argue your point into the ground. Has the last Month and a half playing teams in one of the two best conferences twice a week not enough? That 10 day rest is invaluable to get players right again after the rigors of a very difficult season. It isn't more evident than the fact that Anson Dorrance scheduled just 16 regular season games this year
You're right. Playing NC State, Pitt, Syracuse, Miami, Wake Forest and Louisville can really take it out of a team. Not every game game in the ACC is tough. Stop pretending it is. Conference tourneys are awesome.
You are only looking at the now. Decisions to play conf tournament or not happened last year. I am guessing you are a ACC hater.... Just a short couple of years ago the ACC had 10 teams in the conf who were all in the top 45 RPI in the country. And 8 of them were in the top 25. This year was a down year for the conf no doubt. With only 6 teams in the top 25 RPI. Oh and by the way, Pitt, Louisville, Syracuse were added in the last 2 years from other conf. I am guessing you should be saying that the WCC and the PAC 10 or 12 should play Conf tournaments as well.
Hey, we tried going even bigger (He was) famous in poetry, famous in rhyme a long time before the Pac-16's expansion Can't even remember the 6 schools we were courting. In geological time, they will be on the Pacific soon enough!
I am not actually a fan of the ACC. I appreciate their depth of talent no matter how you slice it...Sending 6 tea,s to the elite eightand 3 to college cup last year deserves some props. That being said. I was the only one in the Bracket pool to have UCLA winning last year, and yes won the pool as well,
Well, they've had some issues to contend with. Here's one: http://blog.syracuse.com/sports/201...ong_suspended_after_using_slurs_in_video.html Also, the Firenze sisters are clutch players, and the youngest one had ACL surgery that kept her out Freshman year. With BC's assistant doing better recruiting, the younger talent is simply better (although, they've always attracted excellent GKs by default, as Wheddon is Hope Solo's coach and has been with the US team for quite some time). Player to watch: Eva Gordon.
While not a real ACC supporter and any particular team, I do enjoy the competitiveness of most of their games. The conference is far ahead of the other conferences when handling their conference tournament. They have tweaked it the last couple of years, to make it easier on the teams to qualify for the College Cup. While other conferences attempt to expand their conference tournament (SEC 10 teams) to include more teams, the ACC has gone the other way. Last year they spread it over two weekends, and this year they dropped it down to only 4 teams. Smart move on their part. With the new format, they make it easier for more teams to qualify for the College Cup, especially when the top four qualifying teams would make it into the tournament anyway, and actually make it easier, win or lose, for those teams to get a shot at a high seed in the tournament. Plus the remaining teams now don't run the risk of missing the tournament if they lose a game in the playoff format. Example, a team going into the tournament with a .500 record by losing the opening round game would not qualify. It, also, allows teams not qualifying not qualifying for ACC tournament, to rest-up and heal-up with the extra week off. I would like to see the other conferences move in that direction. I, for one, am not a big supporter of the conference tournaments, but if they have to have it, the ACC has the right idea.
"I don't usually like conference tournaments, but when I do, I like the ACC tournament! Stay cool my friend." The most interesting fan in the world
They are sort of shooting themselves in the foot this year as only 6 teams are qualified record wise to make the NCAA field. If 10 teams made it, then both Duke and Louisville could have a shot to even out their records. Duke would only need 2 wins, while Louisville would have to win 3. You are only talking about 2 teams resting before the NCAA's. Big deal. I would rather be playing and I am sure the girls feel the same.
I agree with this, and yet I don't mind at all that ND will be playing FSU in the ACC tournament. Good experience for that young Irish team and new coaching staff. It will be on the ND coaches to make it a positive experience/teaching tool as the NCAAs beckon.
There's actually a possibility they'll get seven into the Tournament: UNC FSU Notre Dame Virginia Clemson Virginia Tech Boston College As of this moment, it looks to me like BC might get the very last at large spot. They have some pretty strong negatives, so there's doubt, but that's where I have them at the moment. However, if any of UCF, DePaul, or La Salle were not to win its conference tournament, then BC would be the first one out.
You know the old saying, "Figures don't lie, but liars figure." Seriously though, it depends on what best means. If it means getting the most in the tournament, then you may be right. If your benchmark is getting the most into the elite 8 or Final 4, then I'd bet on the ACC and Pac 12 being the top 2. Does any other conference have a top 4 as strong as the ACC?
All-ACC honors (from the ND website): 2014 Atlantic Coast Conference Women's Soccer Awards Coach of the Year: Mark Krikorian, Florida State Offensive Player of the Year: Dagny Brynjarsdottir, Sr., M, Florida State Midfielder of the Year: Danielle Colaprico, Sr., M, Virginia Defensive Player of the Year: Kristin Grubka, Sr., D, Florida State Freshman of the Year: Megan Buckingham, Fr., F, North Carolina First Team Stephanie McCaffrey, Sr., F, Boston College Kailen Sheridan, So., GK, Clemson Dagny Brynjarsdottir, Sr., M, Florida State Kristin Grubka, Sr., D, Florida State Katie Bowen, Jr., D, North Carolina Satara Murray, Sr., D, North Carolina Cari Roccaro, Jr., M, Notre Dame Morgan Brian, Sr., M, Virginia Danielle Colaprico, Sr., M, Virginia Makenzy Doniak, Jr., F, Virginia Murielle Tiernan, So., F, Virginia Tech Second Team Hayley Dowd, So., F, Boston College Catrina Atanda, So., M, Clemson Christina Gibbons, So., M, Duke Toni Payne, So., M, Duke Jamia Fields, Sr., M, Florida State Cassie Miller, Fr., GK, Florida State Joanna Boyles, So., M, North Carolina Morgan Andrews, So., M, Notre Dame Katie Naughton, Jr., D, Notre Dame Emily Sonnett, Jr., D, Virginia Ashley Meier, Jr., M, Virginia Tech Third Team Gabby Byorth, So., D, Clemson Berglind Thorvaldsdottir, So., F, Florida State Isabella Schmid, Jr., M, Florida State Emily Bruder, So., F, North Carolina Megan Buckingham, Fr., F, North Carolina Lauren Bohaboy, Sr., F, Notre Dame Kaela Little, So., GK, Notre Dame Brittany Ratcliffe, Jr., F, Virginia Candace Cephers, So., M, Virginia Tech Jordan Coburn, Jr., D, Virginia Tech Shannon Mayrose, GS, F, Virginia Tech All-Freshman Team Allyson Swaby, Fr., D, Boston College Ashton Miller, Fr., M, Duke Salma Anastasio, Fr., F, Clemson Shannon Horgan, Fr., F, Clemson Imani Dorsey, Fr., F, Duke Emma Koivisto, Fr., D, Florida State Megan Buckingham, Fr., F, North Carolina Jessie Scarpa, Fr., D, North Carolina Sabrina Flores, Fr., D, Notre Dame Courtney Brosnan, Fr., GK, Syracuse Madi Conyers, Fr., M, Virginia Tech
My ACC Soccer Awards IMHO! 2014 Atlantic Coast Conference Women's Soccer Awards Coach of the Year: Eddi Radwanski, Clemson Offensive Player of the Year: Hayley Dowd, So., F, Boston College Midfielder of the Year: Danielle Colaprico, Sr., M, Virginia Defensive Player of the Year: Satara Murray, Sr., D, North Carolina Freshman of the Year: Salma Anastasio, Fr., F Clemson COY Even though his future is in limbo Eddi did more with less! Sure Dagny and Brian are considered the Best Offensive players but they didn't play a complete season. Amazing ---ridiculous speed Murray! And Salma was the Best Freshman hands down. Many good Freshman didn't make this list. Overall the 2014 class was one of the Best! Again IMHO!
FSU and UVA look to have a great finals matchup. Both possession teams with high pressure. Those 2 teams appear to be a notch above UNC/ND as far as on ball skills and connecting passes in the final third.
JUst noticed they did not have a GK in all freshmen team. From a Noles perspective, I still think Megan Campbell is too dangerous with both her crosses and long throw ins not to have made at least 3rd team All ACC.
Tom81 I am with you. Huge omission to leave Campbell off. She should make it as one of the best outside backs in the league, with or without her amazing distance throw. Definitely better than Coburn or Byorth. Syracuse GK is on the freshman team.