It does not matter if you play a conference tournament or a weekend series, the last week of the season will always only really matter for bubble teams.

I've always said that the reason you play a conference tournament is so that the calendar doesn't determine who wins the regular season title, meaning that you don't want teams that have no shot of an NCAA at-large bid using the last month of the season as an extended tryout for next year, and possibly giving one title contender an advantage over another. As bad as Arkansas did against State, they at least went to Starkville with something to play for--without a tournament berth at stake, they would have had no incentive to win beyond pride.

-Seeding, from hosts to national seeds, can be influenced by the tournament

-The games were certainly interesting in 2013 when we needed to get some wins against good teams just to make the NCAA tournament at all.

-There is the occasional run from a lower seeded team in these tournaments who make the NCAA tournament by winning the whole thing, when otherwise they wouldn't have made it at all.

-The level of competition is pretty ridiculous. You never know how the postseason will play out, but you have #1, 2, 3, 6, 7, 9, and 10 playing in the SEC tournament. It could be a preview of some very important games later on in the season.

The first round single elimination, the later single elimination, and the potential lack of "real" consequences for some teams who have already made their case for postseason seeding could lower interest for some. You have fans on this board who have said they don't care at all about the winning this tournament, or the ones we've won in the past. Coming off a weekend series, then having to play Tuesday and beyond makes for some pitching match-ups that wouldn't necessarily happen in the NCAA tournament.

I'm personally glad they play out of being selfish, because I just like watching more Aggie baseball games.

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This just sounds like sour grapes.

I'm almost positive, across all sports, that a conference tournament has helped teams beyond just those who won said Tournament. I can go through the annals another time but I don't doubt these results can matter.

Again, they're more games that go into your resume in a format the NCAA needs to know you can perform in.

How often does a runaway conference winner get left at home? Even in smaller conferences many of hose teams make the post-season.

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It's not sour grapes, it's simply my opinion. Not matching your opinion doesn't make it sour grapes. There are years when we were the desperate team coming into the Big12/SEC tourney when we had everything to gain and I still hated it.

And when power conference also-rans win the Conference tourney it almost always bumps out a deserving team. ...and particularly when minor conference also-rans win the conference it bumps out a deserving team. I'd guess there are close to a half-dozen teams a year that get left out because of odd results in conference tournaments.

For what it's worth I've never said I don't think the results of conference tournament matter, or that if you choose to play them that they shouldn't matter. I just don't believe they should be played in the beginning. But, you know... money and what not. So they're not going anywhere.

I'm at the point where I'm beating my own dead horse with another dead horse at this point so I'll just go away. I'm pretty sure most people understand 1) my opinion; & 2) that my opinion doesn't matter.

Just wait until we get to the semis or finals and see how fun it is. Uf and lsu played last night in front of an electric environment with 13,000. If you don't enjoy that, you don't enjoy college baseball.

This is one of those areas where we are not quite there as an sec fan base. Winning an sec tournament is a big deal. It isn't Omaha, but it is a very nice trophy in the trophy case.

Conference tourneys to assign an autobid in lieu of round robin season scheduling are at best a sufficient institution. That is: they have to resolve in a schedule and weather doesn't always permit that so they're sufficient but not necessary for assigning the autobid.

I would note that unbalanced scheduling is what assures us a NS with or without the conference tourney this year. Selection Committee be damned if they disagree.

You need to. I believe it was the 12th that Florida loaded the bases with no one away. LSU pulls five into the infield. Won't give anything away. Really a winner take all attitude by Paul M(sp?) LSU coach. Watch it, it is worth it.

I think it is Manieri, and I caught it on the highlights on SEC. It was awesome.

Yep, certainly worth a look-see for those smart enough not to stay up into the wee hours to catch the finish. The only down side to that game is that it enhances the legend of the Rally Opossum.

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Do you mean trying for a national seed?

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Neither will get a national seed.

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Y'all are idiots.

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agreed

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We are built to win a 3-game series, not some convoluted single elimination, then double elimination, then back to single elimination nonsense.

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We're not built to win to win tournaments?!

I know the formats can be weird, but I've always thought it a good test run for the NCAA Tournament.

A non-3 game series tournament format exactly what we're going to see in the regional and hopefully at the College World Series.

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No, we're not. And today is a perfect reason why in that we usually have an inconsistent bullpen. I like our chances against anyone in a 3 game series because we usually have really good starting pitching.

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We are built to win a 3-game series, not some convoluted single elimination, then double elimination, then back to single elimination nonsense.

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We're not built to win to win tournaments?!

I know the formats can be weird, but I've always thought it a good test run for the NCAA Tournament.

A non-3 game series tournament format exactly what we're going to see in the regional and hopefully at the College World Series.

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No, we're not. And today is a perfect reason why in that we usually have an inconsistent bullpen. I like our chances against anyone in a 3 game series because we usually have really good starting pitching.

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Virtually all college teams have inconsistent bullpen.

Saying that regular season championships or conference tournament titles don't matter is how a losing team rationalizes losing.

Omaha and the Naional Title should be the primary goal of any team. That being said, Conference Titles whether regular season or touney, should not be dismissed as inconsequential.

Ya'll having fun yet?

You put on the uniform with Texas A&M on the front - you play your ass off to win.

It's really that simple.

I still don't see why they couldn't have Tuesday through Friday pool play (4 teams each pool) then the winners square off on Sunday. Much more in tune with what goes on during the regular season. If they wanted to throw in a Tuesday "qualifier" that conference ranked teams 7-10 play to get in (7 vs 10, 8 vs. 9; winners advance), that's fine.

Pool play sucks!

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Pool play sucks!

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I agree. Louisvile and Virginia have to play a game tonight that means nothing, since neither team can win their pool. I bet they would both rather be home resting for the Regionals.

Also, I bet you North Carolina is wishing that the ACC Tournament was set up like the SEC. The set up you described is what they use and theTar Heels are out probably not going to make the NCAAs due to the fact they didn't make the conference tournament. Set up that let in 12 teams, they would be a shoe in.

Yes, beating #1 Florida for the SEC title was very boring. That mid week victory over prairie view A&M game was much more exciting!