Craig Littlepage Quotes (59 Quotes)


    Our selections really do dispel the myth that (the field) is RPI-driven. I think the results will be shown over the next couple of weeks.

    I don't think we look at it in terms of how many teams qualify from one league. We made our selections based on teams, not conferences. And I also I think this selection disproves the myth that (the process is exclusively) RPI driven.

    These schools are just buying games, buying wins. That's not fair, and it's not what's good for college basketball. ... There has to be some reward for people willing to play a good schedule and realizing that when you play good people, you're going to win some and you're going to lose some. We should reward the people that are willing to challenge their teams.

    That was really the new path we had to go down, was to evaluate a number of schools from the types of conferences to which you refer, and contrast them to those teams from the supposed power conferences.

    The goal is still to pick the 34 best at-large teams and to seed and balance the 65-team bracket. But this committee is going to face some very unusual challenges because there is so much gridlock at the top and the middle of some of these conferences.


    If there's a message, the larger schools, the larger conferences, really do have a choice on who they play in non-conference.

    The last time I felt like this was when I was completing my taxes at about 1135 p.m. the night before the deadline. There was that kind of pressure to get it done, but I think we put together a diverse field.

    This is about a good basketball team that went largely unnoticed throughout the year.

    I'd be a little surprised to learn of any top-level program in the area that didn't highly consider him for a job.

    I wanted a coach whose team would rebound relentlessly. And they rebound the heck out of the basketball.

    The perception is that a .500 record is the threshold for teams to get strong at-large consideration. But with unbalanced schedules and with teams in the same conference playing once or even not at all in some cases, it does create different challenges.

    Brad is a hard-working and aggressive lineman who has no pattern of unsportsmanlike play his history is one of playing by the rules on and off the field, ... He stated it was not his intention to hurt anyone during Saturday's game and our hope is that the entire Boston College team will understand this.

    Some of the losses that took place ... it certainly does open up the opportunity for teams in the postseason tournaments to solidify a 1-seed or maybe to open the door for other teams.

    The R.P.I. is one of those tools that we have at our disposal.

    We did talk about it a great deal. We spent some time with the school and the Big East conference considering whether he would be available. He's a key good player and this is a good team.

    I think the other side of that is, it's not always the best thing when friends are working together. There could be the tendency for objectivity to be lost in that sort of situation. When people have worked together in a past life and then get back together under different circumstances, it doesn't always work out.


    I think it's been pretty clear from the committee over time that we're not going to be impressed with records that are somewhat artificially built. If we're comparing six or eight teams and two have put together a schedule of rigor where they play home and away from home, the committee is going to go with teams that have challenged themselves.


    We endeavor to try to provide as much transparency, within reason, as to how the committee works, why it does what it does.

    His situation seemed to be more nebulous -- based on the information we received from the institution.

    There is every attempt made to make sure there's no bias that's brought into the room as a result of current employment.

    I think it certainly crushes the notion that you can't look at the numbers and be able to accurately reflect who's a good basketball team and who's not. You need to take a step back and not look at mere brand recognition, if you will.

    We look at and put a great deal of weight in the last 10 games. The reason for that The team that plays the last 10 games is, barring injury, the team that, if selected, will play in the tournament.

    I think if there is a message to relay today, it is too early to say what will happen. Every conference still has important games to be played.

    There have been some unbelievable stories, great drama and great individual and team performances. But we are continually reminded that the evaluation process is not complete.

    I think we are comfortable that the modifications have done a lot of what we had hoped. I would think that one of the unintended consequences ... would encourage teams from other parts of the country to play away from home.

    (CBS analyst Billy Packer) may have an opinion about that or the two of them may have an opinion about that, and they are certainly free to have those opinions and express those opinions. But to look at this in terms of the partnership, you would hope there would be a little better understanding of what it is that we do and an accurate reflection of the facts as they know them to be. Facts, instead of opinions, would be helpful.

    Its a number of sports. Any of the sports that play on grass would be under consideration.

    We never discuss conference. In fact, until about 2 o'clock Sunday, when we began the seeding and bracketing process, I wouldn't have been able to tell you how many were from this conference or that conference in the field at that point in time.

    The power conferences, if you will, can play anybody they want. Anybody they want. They don't have limitations.

    One committee member might rely on it heavily, whereas another one might rely on it less heavily.

    I think that was really the new path we had to go down. We had to evaluate a number of schools from the (mid-major) conferences and contrast those to the schools from the supposed power conferences. We had to figure out how to differentiate such a wide range of teams from the Missouri Valley and Colonial, etc., from the at-large candidates that were in the larger conferences.

    We know we are going to face some unusual challenges this year and specifically because of conference realignments. It seems we have some gridlock at the top or in the middle of conferences. And because there has been some imbalanced conference scheduling, it means some teams might not have played the same schedules.

    In part, this contract also is driven by the view that our program is emerging as a top-20 program under his guidance and has been in contention for the Atlantic Coast Conference title.

    The last time I felt like today was when I was completing my taxes on April 15. When we got to the seventh line, that's where things got bunched together and a lot of teams started looking alike. Where we really got the opportunity to debate was the middle of our bracket, seven, eight, nine and 10.

    We go into Sunday many times looking at contingencies for those sorts of circumstances. And I don't anticipate anything different this time around.

    The discussion about any one league will not go into our discussions when it comes time to select the at-larges. We are going to look strictly at teams, what teams have done.

    There's still several games and in some cases several weeks yet to go plus conference tournaments so the evaluation process is not anywhere near to being completed. If there is a message to be relayed today, it's that it is still too early to say what will happen.

    It's only a coincidence that they happen to be from one conference. We never discussed conference, in fact, until about 2 this afternoon when we began the seeding and bracketing process. I would not have been able to tell you how many from this conference or that conference were in the field at that point in time.

    They have done a great job of trying to schedule throughout the country against teams from many other conferences. As much as anything, they've had a high level of coaching and play ... that in the minds of many has elevated their profile this year.

    On a personal level, I've known Jon since his days back in the '80s as a staff member of the ACC. He's a guy who listens, processes information and then, I think, makes very good judgments in terms of the things we may be discussing at a particular point in time.

    We took more time looking at those schools, looking at their schedules and watching their games.

    No. 1, it means they are a very big conference, and more importantly, it means they have a very good conference.

    We had a discussion and the questions that asked were similar to 'Who is tough' or 'Who is another team you wouldn't want to play Air Force provided us with some unique things.

    The advice I would have is to look at the performance of the team. I understand their questions. I understand their disappointment. The committee is equally devastated when we know there are excellent teams that won't have an opportunity to play.

    Florida State certainly had an outstanding year. When we looked at the full work that they did in comparison to a pool of other people at the point that we were considering these schools, the decision was made to go in a different direction.

    I think we would need to take a look at where the games are played, particularly in situations where there would be one play between two conference members with identical records. The statistics in all circumstances would favor the home team. So, if two t

    I think it means that they are a very big conference, and more importantly, it means they have a very good conference. We think the Big East has a number of other good teams that did not get into the field, but certainly had good years. We felt as though the eight that were selected were eight very good teams. It's only of consequence that they happen to be from one conference.

    The message is that there is great basketball played all around the county.


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