ESPN: Flyers, Aztecs & Zags

[sittingon50]

https://www.espn.com/mens-college-ba...-mystery-teams

[CDC84]

I just don't get why Gonzaga is even included in this article unless you want to say they weren't expected to be one seed material this year. But the same thing could be said about Baylor, who doesn't have a guaranteed NBA player on its team and was picked 8 spots behind GU in the preseason AP poll. They've been to 5 straight sweet 16's or better for gosh sakes. Only one of three teams in the expanded bracket era have done this. They've been a number one seed three times since 2013, and stand a great chance this year of making it a 4th. They've been ranked #1 in the AP poll several times. SDSU and Dayton are terrific programs, but GU is not a mystery team.

[CDC84]

Also, neither SDSU or Dayton were in the AP preseason top 25. Gonzaga was ranked at #8.

[Hoopaholic]

Also, neither SDSU or Dayton were in the AP preseason top 25. Gonzaga was ranked at #8.

It’s because we are a mid major program

[ZagaZags]

It’s because we are a mid major program

Blasphemy.

[HenneZag]

Let the boys play with a chip. Need some more fuel to make a run.

[soccerdud]

I just don't get why Gonzaga is even included in this article unless you want to say they weren't expected to be one seed material this year. But the same thing could be said about Baylor, who doesn't have a guaranteed NBA player on its team and was picked 8 spots behind GU in the preseason AP poll. They've been to 5 straight sweet 16's or better for gosh sakes. Only one of three teams in the expanded bracket era have done this. They've been a number one seed three times since 2013, and stand a great chance this year of making it a 4th. They've been ranked #1 in the AP poll several times. SDSU and Dayton are terrific programs, but GU is not a mystery team.

because the article isn't written for you, just like the last article where you got your hackles up because we were grouped with other mid-majors. the respect for gonzaga was written large in both pieces as well as other writings by the pieces' authors (borzello just wrote the article on tommy lloyd, medcalf has picked us for NC)...

the fact is that we're in a mid-major conference. that has the effect of people talking about us sometimes when they talk about teams in mid-major conferences. it also (along with the entire west coast thing) means that huge numbers of espn readers maybe haven't seen us play this year. so it makes sense to put us in a primer-type guide for those fans, but again, if you read, the experts make clear that they have no questions about us, our record, or our status on the national stage.

anyway, you're welcome to feel what you feel and say what you will, obviously. but it sure does take focusing down on a couple little nits (the headline, the other teams under discussion) and ignoring 1) the intended audience, 2) what the experts in the article actually say, and 3) what the experts in the article have previously said-- in order to read it negatively, imo.

at this point, the idea of real national disrespect is mostly a fiction, kept alive by a combination of inertia and misunderstandings (which beget misrepresentations) like that. i really think that if you could just let it go, you'd find it's mostly already gone.

eta: i'm obviously not referring to twitter randos or things like local sports radio talk/bloggers there.