Bring back SEC Divisions

[redleg]

The SEC home office did away with East and West divisions in men's basketball a few years ago. The main reasons were to get more teams into the NCAA Tourney, and so a lesser ranked division champ with a conference record worse than a #2 or #3 team from the opposing division wouldn't automatically receive a #1 seed in the SEC Tourney.
So...how has that worked out so far? Hmm?! Not very well I'd say!
There haven't been any more SEC teams in the Big Dance on an annual basis than before the divisions were eliminated.
I really enjoyed divisional play, and I for one would love to see it come back!
The SEC could easily fix the SEC Tourney seeding problem by simply seeding teams according to their conference records regardless of the teams places in each division. It's simple!
Has anyone heard anything about the SEC bringing back divisions?
:razorback:

[Biggus Piggus]

They eliminated divisions to make the seeding of the SECT fairer, to keep superior teams from getting seeded too low. The balance between East and West was not good and still would not be. In Pomeroy last season, five of the top six teams were former East members.

They also did it to make it easier to schedule 18 conference games after the expansion to 14 teams. Nobody wanted to play a full round robin of course.

[GuvHog]

Also they did it because the SEC East teams started pitching a fit because they had to play UK twice a year while the SEC West teams only had to play them once a year.

[redleg]

Well boo-hoo! Get over it! I want to see Divisions make a come back. There haven't been any increases in SEC teams making it into the NCAA Tournament since they eliminated divisional play, and, like I said before, they could remedy any seeding issues in the SEC Tourney simply by seeding teams according to their conference records - regardless of division championship status.
For example: SEC East champ is UK with a 15-3 conference record, the east #2 is Florida at 14-4 and the east #3 is Georgia at 13-5. The West champ is Arkansas with an SEC record of 13-5, and the Hogs beat Georgia in the regular season. All of that would translate to UK and Florida receiving the 1 and 2 seeds and a first round bye, while Arkansas is the #3 seed, and Georgia at #4. It's not rocket science.

Bring back divisons!
:razorback:

[Biggus Piggus]

I am confused. Why would you have divisions, if they were meaningless?

[hogwood]

I am confused. Why would you have divisions, if they were meaningless?

[hogman99]

I am confused. Why would you have divisions, if they were meaningless?

I guess the OP thinks we will get a SEC West Division Trophy.

[mizzouman]

Eliminate division for football and basketball.

[Biggus Piggus]

Eliminate division for football and basketball.

They have to have divisions if football is going to have a championship game, according to the way the NCAA set it up.

I think the SEC would be better off if scheduling were not constrained by divisions. We would end up with more candidates for high-end bowls.

[mizzouman]

They have to have divisions if football is going to have a championship game, according to the way the NCAA set it up.

I think the SEC would be better off if scheduling were not constrained by divisions. We would end up with more candidates for high-end bowls.

Agreed.  Should have the top 2 teams in the league square off in the SECCG.  Each team should have 2 permanent opponents each year then a schedule could be worked out where you play each team twice in a 4 year period.

[Dwight_K_Shrute]

I liked divisions too.  If you look back the SEC was strongest and getting the most teams in when there were divisions.  Going to no divisions has not helped quality of play or tournament spots.  I don't know if it has hurt but hasn't helped.

What divisions did do at least for me was build more rivalries and interest and help keep teams in it, playing to win the division.  Yes the balance had shifted but as many like to say in football those things are cyclical. 

Could go back to divisions and just go to 19 game league schedule.  Only 1 more conf game, just drop the SWAC team of the week in your non-con.  You play every team in your division twice for 12 games and every team in the other division once.  19 games.

[Kevin]

They did away with divisions hoping that would get more teams in the ncaa's
It has backfired on them

[Dwight_K_Shrute]

They did away with divisions hoping that would get more teams in the ncaa's
It has backfired on them

Yep and I think for whatever reason it has diluted fan interest as well. 

[redleg]

Yes, the Hogs winning an SEC West title in basketball is very appealing. As I said earlier, they could still have divisions and seed teams according to their conference record for the SEC Tourney. Division play isn't meaningless, it gives teams one more reason to strive even harder for that trophy/banner/ring.
If divisions are meaningless, why does the NFL have divisions? Or the NBA? Or Major League baseball?
Scheduling an 18 game conference slate is one thing, but I say it would be even easier with divisions. Play your 6 division opponents twice, that's 12 games. Then play six of the seven teams from the opposing division once, that's 18. Then play the remaining team twice on a two year rotating basis, that's a 20 games conference schedule! It would eliminate 2 ho-hum non-SEC games for each team, potentially.
Bring back division play in SEC basketball!
:razorback:

[chenalhog]

They did away with divisions hoping that would get more teams in the ncaa's
It has backfired on them

No the sec sucks other then Kentucky with or with out divisions

[redleg]

Then why not bring back divisions to give teams extra incentive to win a division title?
:razorback: