Why did NCAA softball bail on Bedlam or a Jordy Bahl reunion? | Berry Tramel’s ScissorTales

Some say the committee should rank the top 32 instead of the top 16, then seed accordingly.

The only trouble with that is you could and would have a 2-seed Stanford flying to Georgia and a 2-seed Georgia Tech flying to UCLA.

Doesnt really make sense.

And of course, theres always the possibility that the committee just isnt paying attention.

I dont think thats the case when it comes to OU/OSU/Arkansas/Nebraska decisions.

But its absolutely the case when the committee sends Boston University to Norman for the third time in the last seven NCAAs, plus a trip to Stillwater, too.

The Terriers have been in Oklahoma more than some of our Congressional delegation.

The 4-seeds are kept in their regions when possible Weber State to Oregon, Jacksonville State to Alabama, South Carolina-Upstate to Clemson, Miami-Ohio to Tennessee but the Northeast schools have to be flown about the country.

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Alphabetical according to height.

How else to explain the committees moves, which seem to be based on geography according to dull? The NCAA Championships begin Friday with 16 regionals.

The committee could have created Bedlam in the OU regional.

But no.

The Cowgirls are going to Arkansas, which in all fairness is a geographic fit, too.

The committee also could have stuck to geographic principles by sending Nebraska to Norman; Jordy Bahl, the two-time national champion with the Sooners who transferred back to her home-state Cornhuskers, would have made for quite the reunion.

But no.

The softball committee seemed to be going out of its way to produce uncompelling matchups.

Wheres Barnum or Bailey when you need them? A quick explainer.

OU is among the 16 top seeds, all of which host regionals.

The softball committee historically has bracketed with geography in mind.

Keeping teams close, when possible.

For example, UCLA is hosting 4-seed Cal-Santa Barbara, 3-seed San Diego State and 2-seed Arizona State.

All a bus ride from Los Angeles.

South Carolina is hosting 4-seed Elon, 3-seed North Florida and 2-seed Virginia, all a bus ride from Columbia.

Florida is hosting 4-seed Mercer, 2-seed Florida Atlantic and 3-seed Georgia Tech, all a bus ride from Gainesville.

But when it came to Norman, the committee scrapped geography.

And excitement.

The committee sent 2-seed OSU to Arkansas, 2-seed Nebraska to Louisiana State and 2-seed Cal-Berkeley to OU.

The committee could have sent OSU to OU, Nebraska to Arkansas (433 miles distance) and Cal to LSU.

Or it could have kept OSU at Arkansas and sent Nebraska to Norman (449 miles), with Cal at LSU.

Maybe those decisions were made with an S curve mentality.

Maybe the committee figures OSU and Nebraska were too potent of 2-seeds to be sent to OU, which the committee ranked second among all the 1-seeds.

The only trouble with that theory is that Arkansas was fourth among the 1-seeds; not much difference between the Razorbacks and Sooners.

I thought they were a little high up there to come to us, OU coach Patty Gasso said of the Cowgirls, who are 21st in college softballs Ratings Percentage Index, which would make them a high 2-seed.

Honestly, I was a little surprised they were going to Arkansas.

I thought it might be somebody in the 7-8-9, something like that.

Nebraska is 25th in the RPI and Cal-Berkeley is 28th.

Who knows if the committee ranked OSU, Nebraska and Cal in that order, but theres no apparent massive difference in the three teams.

There are four northeast schools in this tournament: Boston U., Saint Francis, Robert Morris and Brown.

So why does Boston U.

get stuck on the OU treadmill? When they were announced as heading to Norman, the Terriers famously showed their disappointment in the NCAA selection show.

Its not that the Terriers are terrified of the Sooners, Boston coach Rhiannon tweeted, its the repetitive trips.

The Terriers were in the OU regional just last May.

I understand the travel consideration involved, but sending the same programs to the same NCAA regionals is a disservice to the student-athlete experience, Potkey wrote.

They want to play in new areas and against new teams.

Its just common sense.

Send Boston U.

to Lubbock and Brown University to Norman.

Or Boston U.

to College Station and Saint Francis to Norman.

Or Boston U.

to Tallahassee, Florida, and Robert Morris to Norman.

Some of this stuff isnt that hard.

Gasso understands the Terriers frustration.

It wasnt like, oh my gosh, we have to play the Sooners, she said.

Its more like, oh my gosh, weve got to go back there again.

And I dont blame them for that.

And weve seen Cal-Berkeley (2023 in Norman).

I dont know why.

It obviously doesnt mean a lot to the committee that youre going back, it just fits the piece to the puzzle.

There are some regionals where theyre flying from everywhere.

So I thought wow, looks like we have more money to move some people around.

But just back to Boston, and even Cal, I think they could probably feel the same, not disappointment, but give us something different.

I dont think the committee cares much about that.

It seems quite clear that the committee is not interested in anyones enjoyment.

Not the fans, who are deprived of more-riveting matchups, or the competitors, who are deprived of more-diverse experiences.

A&M-Texas back to Thanksgiving Friday College footballs Thanksgiving weekend television windows are getting more and more crowded, with the encroachment of the National Football League.

But Texas A&M and Texas are trying to find the best stage for their renewed rivalry.

The Longhorns and Aggies announced last week their 2025 game will return to Black Friday, which in the latter part of the 20th century became the rivalrys usual landing spot.

A&M and Texas will play at 6:30 p.m.

November 28 in Austin.

Both athletic directors had expressed interest in moving the game to Friday night, seeking more exclusivity.

In the old days, the Longhorns and Aggies were a Thanksgiving Day tradition.

But the NFL now produces a Thanksgiving tripleheader and even has added a Thanksgiving Friday game.

College football largely has abandoned Thanksgiving Day.

Only the Memphis-Navy game is scheduled for Thanksgiving this season.

So far, UT-A&M is the sixth power-conference Black Friday matchup, joining Mississippi State-Ole Miss, Iowa-Nebraska, Georgia Tech-Georgia, Arizona State-Arizona and Kansas-Utah.

But if Friday night gets too crowded, heres a novel idea for Texas A&M-Texas or the traditional Thanksgiving Day game, the Ole Miss-Mississippi State Egg Bowl: play on Thanksgiving Eve.

Play Wednesday night.

Mississippi State and Mississippi both are off the previous Saturday this season.

Make that the new tradition.

Have the Southeastern Conference schedule both teams off the Saturday before Thanksgiving, then play on Wednesday night.

The NFL hasnt grabbed that window.

Not yet anyway, and isnt likely to anytime soon.

Make that the new tradition.

Its not as easy for fans or students, but networks and universities quit prioritizing fans and students decades ago.

So maybe thats the answer for schools that want the spotlight to themselves while clinging to tradition.

The Longhorns and Aggies have played 119 times; 84 of those games have been on either Thanksgiving Day or the day after.

The NFL isnt going to stop with one Black Friday game.

But White Wednesday? The NFL knows that Wednesday games are a scheduling nightmare.

You want the stage to yourself? Wednesday is the ticket.

The List: Cities seeking an NBA title Two teams the Thunder and the Pacers remain alive in the NBA Playoffs representing NBA cities that never have won the league championship.

Heres a list of the NBA cities still waiting on their first title, ranked by longevity.

1.

Atlanta 57: The St.

Louis Hawks moved to Georgia in 1968.

The Hawks havent so much as reached the NBA Finals.

1.

Phoenix 57: The Suns were a 1968 expansion franchise.

At least theyve reached three Finals.

3.

Indianapolis 48: The Pacers moved to the NBA from the late, great American Basketball Association in 1976.

At least Indy won three ABA titles.

4.

Salt Lake City 46: The Jazz moved from New Orleans hence the name in 1979.

Utah has won the West twice.

But the ABAs Utah Stars won a championship.

5.

Sacramento 40: The Kansas City Kings moved in 1985.

The Kings havent made the Finals yet.

6.

Orlando 36: A 1989 expansion franchise, the Magic has made the Finals twice.

7.

Charlotte 35: A 1988 expansion franchise as the Hornets, then another expansion franchise (Bobcats) in 2004 after the original Hornets moved to New Orleans, not even a name change back to Hornets has helped.

Charlotte has experienced just four playoff series advancements in 312 decades.

8.

New Orleans 28: The original Jazz (a 1974 expansion franchise) and the relocated Hornets have combined for two playoff advancements in almost 30 years as an NBA city.

9.

Memphis 24: The Grizzlies moved from Vancouver in 2001 and have five total playoff advancements.

10.

Oklahoma City: 18: The Hornets played in OKC two years (2005-07), then the SuperSonics moved in 2008.

The Thunder has reached one Finals and been a frequent playoff winner.

Note: Minneapolis won four NBA titles with the Lakers from 1949-54.

Brooklyn has gone 13 years without a title since getting the Nets; decide for yourself if Brooklyn merits status as its own city.

And four cities were in the league at least 10 years before losing their franchise, without a title Cincinnati (Kings) 15, Kansas City (Kings) 13, San Diego (Rockets and Clippers) 10 and Baltimore (Wizards) 10.

Uzan undecided about NBA Former OU point guard Milos Uzan, who transferred to Houston and helped the Cougars reach the NCAA Championship Game, is at the NBA Combine in Chicago but could return to college.

At least thats what he told ESPN this week.

Coach (Kelvin) Sampson and those guys, they told me, Man, if you can go get on a team and go get drafted, go do it, Uzan said.

But if not, you know where home is.

Uzan is projected as a second-round pick.

Hes also projected to return Houston to national-title contender, should he choose to go back to Houston.

Right now, Im all-in on the draft, Uzan told ESPN.

Thats the mindset I want to have.

I want to show these teams I believe in my play and I believe I belong in this league.

Uzan is a great example of the new basketball order.

Fewer underclassmen are declaring for the NBA Draft, courtesy of the new pay-for-play culture in college, and those that declare for the draft are more inclined to withdraw their name, if they see their draft stock declining.

The financial ramifications have changed; most players arent making economic sacrifices by playing college basketball these days.

Mailbag: SGAs style I referred to Shai Gilgeous-Alexander the other day as cooler than Richard Roundtree.

Roundtree, of course, was the actor who portrayed Shaft, the private detective in 1970s movies and television.

That got the imaginations running.

Jason: I heard you talking about SGAs style when it comes to his dress off the court, and I have to tell you, you added another layer to the character SGA makes me think of Rudy, from Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids.

His facial features and shape, along with his build, match Rudy.

AND Rudy was the most stylish of the gang, too.

Just a funny observation I had to share.

Berry: I literally thought of Rudy and the Cosby kids, when I was thinking of Gilgeous-Alexanders style.

Fat Albert & the Cosby Kids was a Saturday morning cartoon that debuted in 1972 and aired until 1985.

It was based on actor Bill Cosbys childhood friends in North Philadelphia.

Fat Albert was quite popular, both according to the television metrics and the skuttlebutt in my east Norman schools.

I was 11 in 1972.

The Rudy character doesnt match SGA in personality Rudy was a smooth-talking huckster but man, was he a sharp dresser.

All of this discussion is fraught, of course.

The Cosby name and legacy has been torpedoed by a series of sexual assault allegations against the once-iconic actor..

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