"Rants and Raves" is an open forum for coaches to discuss topics, ranging from issues to observations on the state of college basketball and beyond.
 
 
Cupcake Label
By John Giannini, La Salle

Recently I was speaking with Joe Dwyer of Collegeinsider.com about the wide variety of match-ups the non-conference season brings. All to often the obvious is completely overlooked.

Just as in life, there is a lot of diversity to enjoy; powers from different conferences facing off; low to mid-majors stepping up against national programs and small college programs getting a chance against Division I teams.

In fact on the day Joe and I spoke, Division III Williams and Fisk won against Division I opponents. As someone who played in Division III and coached at Rowan College for 7 years that is great to see.

But what I don't like to see in print or heard through the airwaves is the reference to supposed lower level team as "cupcakes." Some nationally prominent broadcasters use this term often and I am sure I am not the only one who takes offense.

In fact, I take it as an insult to the many coaches or players who are not currently at the highest level. I wish it wouldn't be used, especially since some of these supposed "cupcake" games turn out to be upsets.

We have been fortunate, at Maine, to win against Big East, Big Ten and Conference USA teams and there is a lengthy list of so-called "cupcakes" that were given NO CHANCE of winning, only to register a victory.

Last weekend, Northeastern, from our conference the America East, beat West Virginia (after beating Boston College last year) and Vermont lost by just one at UCLA. Go back and track any week through the month of December and you are certain to find one, two, three or more proverbial cupcakes knocking off bigger name schools.

It is a shame for schools not in high major conferences that "marquee" opponents rarely leave home for these non-conference games.

It is smart on their part, they make money at home, give the visiting team some of the revenue and enjoy a great home court advantage. But it is that 'advantage' that often makes the difference.

That is why I am never surprised by upsets in the NCAA tournament because it is the only time in the year that "mid-majors" get to play "high majors" on a neutral court.

But while that is the reality of things, it is still wrong to label all schools, which are not household names, as being cupcakes.

To that, here is something else that those doing the labeling don't consider. With perception being everything, if you label a team as being a cupcake and they go on beat the favorite that day, suddenly the high-profile coach is on the hot seat.

The fact of the matter is that that so-called cupcake might be a very good basketball team, but the analyst just assumed they weren't.

And that happens a lot.

Every year in the NCAA tournament, someone proclaims an upset as the 'greatest upset in NCAA tournament history. Those exact words were used when describing Kent State's win, three years ago in the opening round of the tournament.

A year later Kent State was in the Elite Eight. Greatest upset of all time?

But again, this is what makes the NCAA tournament so special. For forty-minutes, two teams square off on a neutral court.

Tom Sullivan (UMBC head coach) feels the NCAA should limit the number of regular home games a team can play, but it will never pass because it would mean a loss of ticket revenue.

The vast number of home game big time schools can pay for is a tremendous advantage and the players and fans at smaller schools never get to have those marquee games on their campuses.

And for the last time, don't criticize the so called "cupcake" schedules.

It is insulting and at least the higher level program is giving someone a shot at a big game, albeit on their own terms.