Hey Bulldogs, just little ole #4 seeded West Florida again.

[UNALions]

You think there's an elaborate hoax happening against the University of West Florida in the Division II Football Playoffs?

Nope. But there are huge issues in the selection process and obviously the re-seeding for the semis.

[West Florida]

The athletic administrator from Lenoir–Rhyne (Monica Gordy Polizzi) is, in fact, married to the D2football.com SAC columnist (Justin Polizzi)...

Well someone better check on Monica and Justin and see if they still have each other's phone numbers because Monica, who I'm sure does a good job with Lenoir-Rhyne's athletics, could have called Justin yesterday and had this conversation...

Monica: Hey boo, you know our 2 best SAC teams that we sent to play West Florida?
Justin: Yo Mon, yeah Wingate and Limestone. They were the cream of the crop in the SAC.
Monica: How did they do against West Florida?
Justin: Oh babe, it was embarrassing, they looked like high school teams. West Florida is used to playing teams like West Georgia, Delta State...hell, Shorter even if we just want to go all the way down to the bottom. West Florida literally looked like they felt sorry for our SAC teams by halftime and then they weren't even sure if out of respect they should keep playing hard or just run clock. Their coach is really classy though so just made sure he didn't make the score look too bad.
Monica: Oh, so would you say sending West Florida to Ferris State so that the two can't meet in the National Championship would be a good decision?
Justin: Monica, the wine we bought was for company for Christmas!
Monica: Justin, I didn't even touch the stuff. I just wanted to know if West Florida was the #4 seed. It's making sense to me, fo real.
Justin: No. No we will cover this more when I get home, but that's absolutely the worst thing you could do for D2 football. Remember last year how you sent Shepherd to Ferris State and they got beat 55-7?
Monica: Yeah, so what?
Justin: Do you think West f*$@^$g Florida would go to Ferris State and get beat 55-7?!?
Monica: No way, that would never happen. That would be unthinkable.
Justin: RIGHT!
Monica: I don't get it.
Justin: Don't make West Florida the #4 seed!
Monica: Ohhhhhhhhh.
Justin: By the way, why do we live in Hickory instead of Pensacola Beach?
Monica: Because I make decisions like putting West Florida #4?
Justin: I gotta go. I have to now write a SAC column on how our 2 top conference teams got spanked by what you think is the #4 seed in the final 4.

(I'm sure Monica is terrific. This is an example of how a conversation could have gone. I can not confirm she calls Justin "boo" and if they have wine in their house that is to be saved for company. Im sure they are amazing people. It's just a sample of how this reseeding could have been done better.)

[West Florida]

You think there's an elaborate hoax happening against the University of West Florida in the Division II Football Playoffs?

I don't think anyone thinks it's a hoax against West Florida specifically. I think people think it's an unrealistic thought that West Florida should be the 4 seed. D2 football deserves better than whatever system or process made that happen.

[Greenman]

Well, you guys made up my mind for me. Now the only team I hope loses is Florida.

[West Florida]

Well, you guys made up my mind for me. Now the only team I hope loses is Florida.

Not a Gators fan?

[Greenman]

Don't mind it if it's cooked right. But obviously we are talking d2.

[West Florida]

Florida doesn't play at the D2 level so it isn't obvious that you are talking about D2 football. Florida is a FBS school in Gainesville, Florida. They compete in the SEC. You said you hope Florida loses. I assume you are meaning vs Oregon State in the Vegas Bowl?

[Greenman]

I'm sorry, I assumed abbreviations would be acceptable, being a d2 site and all. But I will go ahead and type out university of west Florida since you want to play dumb.

[Predatory Primates]

I definitely don't agree with WF at 4. I could actually see the eye test making #3 happen, but not #4.

I think D2 liked the idea of making the Shep and Mines high scoring Qb duel happen.

[Predatory Primates]

Plus: SR3 has already had 3 coin toss games. Why not a 4th?

[West Florida]

I'm sorry, I assumed abbreviations would be acceptable, being a d2 site and all. But I will go ahead and type out university of west Florida since you want to play dumb.

It sounds beautiful and rolls off the tongue so perfectly.

[West Florida]

I definitely don't agree with WF at 4. I could actually see the eye test making #3 happen, but not #4.

I think D2 liked the idea of making the Shep and Mines high scoring Qb duel happen.

I'm cool with anything other than putting us 4. That's just too much of a joke. If you think Mines is better, ok. I watched Shepherd. Nobody thinks Shepherd is better than UWF that has seen both teams play.

[West Florida]

This is a really weird post. Ferris, Mines, and Shepherd were all #2 in their regions. West Florida was #3. It's pretty cut and dry as to how this re-seeding was done. The SR2 winner was always going to be the #4 seed, because it was the region with the two lowest-seeded teams left in the playoffs. Not only that, but the teams you beat in the playoffs were a Limestone team that shouldn't have even been in the playoffs, a very good Delta State team, and then an unseeded Wingate team. So not only were you the #3 seed in the region, but your schedule through the region was also the weakest of every other team that won their region. UWF is objectively the least-accomplished team, NUMBERS-WISE, left in the playoff. It's really simple.

This is actually a really weird post since you don't understand why it wouldn't matter what you are ranked according to your region if they reseed in the semifinals.

[West Florida]

If you go over to look at the Shepherd vs Mines discussion this is the stuff you see: I’m really excited. First, I’m surprised it isn’t West Florida and a cogent argument can be made for them to host. But still happy it shook out like it did.

Haha, yes, I bet you both are very excited. I would be too. Lesson to the committee, if teams are excited they don't have to play the 4 seed then that team is not the 4 seed!!!

[Greenman]

It sounds beautiful and rolls off the tongue so perfectly.

Yeah, but I'm not saying it, I'm typing, fat fingers and small buttons and all.