We know the major conferences are setting the policy, which means they get the lean when it comes to Selection Sunday. I’ve resigned myself to that fact, and so should you. Complaining is wasted emotion.

That said, I would like for you to keep your ears open all weekend and Monday for the double talk. I’ve reached the stage where this kind of stuff is entertaining to me, and you may as well do your best to enjoy it, too.

So my assignment is this: listen for the cliches and how they are applied to individual teams. It make for great fun. Here’s some things to look for:

If “Last 12″ doesn’t matter, listen for the number of times “the way they played in the conference tournament” is used. Let’s use Georgia Tech as the example. I’ve read many places and will be listening tomorrow for the “the win over North Carolina propelled them into the tournament, and the win over Maryland cemented it.”

That would be the #85 RPI North Carolina who went 4-12 in its last 16 games, and the Maryland team that lost, at home, to William & Mary.

And while we’re talking about the ACC and the Pugs, let’s put Virginia Tech and the Pugs next to each other. This one is the “who you play and where you play them” criteria:

RPI: VT (57), WM (58)

Record: VT (23-11), WM (21-10)

OOC record and SOS: VT 13-1 (#98); WM 7-3 (#13)

Road record: VT (6-5); WM (10-6)

Record, top 50: VT (3-4); WM (3-3)

Best wins: VT (home Clemson, home Wake); WM (at Maryland, at Wake, Richmond).

Best OOC wins: VT (Seton Hall-neutral, home Georgia); WM (see above).

And so that I’m not accused of picking on the ACC, let’s look at Minnesota here. The Gophers have been written off for three weeks. You’re telling me they are now in conversation due to one win over Michigan State who was without a star player?

Minnesota has an RPI of 73 and is 3-7 in road games. Just digest that and we’ll move on.

***

Next is the ye new “eyeball test.” If that is in effect, Wake Forest should be lucky to be chosen for a Wake Forest intrasquad scrimmage. They looked horrid and disinterested this past month.

Any of the SEC bubble teams are a bad choice. They define mediocre. If we’re going “body of work,” then Mississippi State’s losses to Rider and Western Kentucky have to come into play.

That’s it–I’m off to enjoy basketball. Just keep your ears open, laugh, and remember today’s reason why we have it better:

There’s no need to convince the world it isn’t seeing what it actually sees. We’re too smart for that.