Where's the R-E-S-P-E-C-T?

Greetings from courtside at Conseco Fieldhouse here in the Hoosier State. Right now, Lisa Bluder's Iowa Hawkeyes have about ten minutes left in shootaround in preparation of their Big Ten semi-final tonight against top-seeded Ohio State, so that's about how much time I've got to get something off my chest.

I don't understand why the Big Ten continues to get bashed in the national media. In my mind, they have as many worthy teams to make the NCAA Tournament as the Big East or ACC. But ESPN drives everything, and their anti-Big Ten campaign, as subtle as it may be, is hurting the conference's repuation nationwide. Now, I know first-hand that the Big Ten officials don't give a damn about what ESPN thinks and neither should their fans.

Yes, they have stumbled on the football field in the "Big Games" and I fear that "the Big Ten is weak" mentality is making its way onto the hardwood, and it's not fair. This conference deserves more respect for the teams that they have beaten (UCLA, Duke, Louisville, Missouri, Kansas, Texas, Butler -- teams that find themselves ranked in the Top 25 right now) and they simply aren't getting it.

Maybe I've got a little bias, but I believe the Big Ten is just as good a conference as the Big East or ACC. Those other two conferences have powerhouse programs, but no other conference in the country will you find a better group of coaches and a better sense of competition. There are some great players in this league and March Madness is a perfect place for them to shine.

Time is running out, so it's time for me to go. Sorry for no predictions today, but I didn't feel like embarrassing anybody who wanted to choose against me.