So speaking of Alabama, let's go with the biggest snubs first, if you want to call it a snub. To be honest, I'm not sure how much they deserved to be in the field of 64. Ironically, Alabama's RPI sat at 64 this morning. That sits a little too high for what the committee is looking for. Without the Crimson Tide, and with the exclusion of Tennessee, the SEC only has five teams in. When you first hear that, you think,"HUH!?!" But in all seriousness, they may have been the best conference by the numbers, but they really only deserved five bids. Alabama and Tennessee just didn't cut it when it came down to things. Tennessee struggled to ever really get it going, while 'Bama may have turned it on at the end of the year, but the two-and-out in Hoover couldn't have helped the matter. No longer are the days of nine teams from the SEC going to make it, as things have definitely changed.

How 'bout College of Charleston getting the snub. Ouch.

Although I'll be heading to Myrtle Beach (who can be jealous of anyone else when that phrase is stated), baseball-wise I will be jealous of the Fayetteville Regional to be honest. The top three are real good, with Arkansas perhaps having one of the best top three guys in any rotation in the nation. Then Creighton who was extremely solid in winning the Missouri Valley Conference (by beating regional host Wichita State), and Oklahoma State which has a lineup that hit .327 as a team and launched 76 homers.

How about the New York baseball scene? Not that anyone around these parts will pay too much attention, but if you include upstate New York, and the metro area (N.J.), there will be five teams heading to the Tournament:
1. Rutgers
2. St. John's
3. Albany
4. Monmouth
5. Le Moyne

Who would have thought that at the beginning of the year? Le Moyne will try and put in a good showing out of the MAAC much like Manhattan did a year ago in Nebraska, when they knocked off the homestanding Cornhuskers. St. John's looks to cause a stir in Myrtle Beach, with the early returns from Queens being that they like their position as a No. 3 seed there. Albany makes its first appearance ever in school history when they will travel to Arkansas as the No. 4 seed after winning the America East Conference. Rutgers got its bid after winning the Big East, not falling like St. John's in the Big East Tournament. The Scarlet Knights head to Charlottesville as the No. 2 seed in front of defending champ Oregon State (whoda thunk that??). Then there's Monmouth who treks all the way out to Tempe to face the best offense in the nation.

Hats off to San Diego and head coach Rich Hill who secured that 8th national seed by winning the WCC on Sunday. The Toreros will host at San Diego State at Tony Gwynn Stadium. Very nice of the rival Aztecs. After all, if they do a good job, then when SDSU gets its act together in future years, the committee won't hesitate. So Go Aztecs, as far as hosting is concerned.

As for toughest roads, while Vanderbilt's Regional draw looks like they can sleep walk through, if things hold true to form, they'll draw Virginia at home in the supers. With the top two that the Cavs hold, in Sean Doolittle and Jacob Thompson, could be rough for the Commodores.

That's it for now, more to come all week long. Look for Mark Etheridge's biggest snubs at some point on Monday evening.