Just another, among the hundreds of data points that demonstrate Dave Rose's assertion:

"the WCC is as skilled and physical as the Big East! It is just as tough to win....top to bottom in the WCC!"

He made these comments on Wednesday to Wrubell. Rose has made these assertions on many occasions and in enough different ways so as to leave no doubt that he means it.

In baseball, the National League was considered better than the American League until inter league play proved the opposite. To suggest otherwise was scoffed at. The NFL was believed to be much stronger than the AFL until Joe Namath. The NBA Eastern division was superior to the West until the facts proved the opposite.

There are a few teams across the nation that stand up and apart from the others. Gonzaga, Kentucky, Arizona, Wisconsin and Virginia are among them.

There are people who say WCC is not as strong as the "major" conferences. There may be conferences in the nation that are stronger than the WCC, but the objective facts don't prove they are stronger by much.