Selection Sunday

Well another selection Sunday has come and gone and we hear the same things we heard a year ago. "The Tournament should be expanded" "Good Ole State U was screwed" "The Mid Majors Were not treated Fairly" "Enough of Vitale" "NC should not be playing in NC" and much more. Well I have a few points to make on this years post season tournaments.

First of all I cringe every time I hear someone mention "The Committee" like it is some national board of elders making life saving decisions. Please say "the NCAA Basketball Committee."

I honestly think it was a good ole boy network that would put in Kentucky despite them having a horrible season. Forget about name recognition, they were not worthy this season.

I think Virginia Tech should have made the field of 64 based on the 2nd half of the season, and the plain fact they were one of the top teams eligible for an at large birth.

On the NIT front I feel Seton Hall was treated unfairly. No matter what anyone says they deserved to make the NIT!!

Lets talk match-ups. North Carolina, UCLA, and Kansas should have smooth roads to the NCAA final four. Memphis will run into some serious obstacles. But the seeding was done in a way that allows for the best opportunity in many years for the four top seeds to make it to the final four. I really see very little upsets. In fact, like this season of American Idol, it looks rather cut and dry. I am somewhat interested in some of the games early on. Especially the 8-9 games.

But how about that play in game involving Coppin State? Are you serious? What is the real purpose of this game? In fact what is the real purpose of alot of the games? It still amazes me when I see a 15 seed from a small conference with a 6 ft 6 Center jump up to cheer when their game against a strong 2 seed is announced. It's almost like the arena during the days of Caesar, and the Gladiator stands and cheers when he finds out he will be sent out to fight the lions and tigers, Most likely it will be a quick exit. I always wondered why certain teams accepted bids knowing they did not have much of a chance to win. Maybe they should just go to the NIT or another tournament for D1 schools from smaller conferences.

I also think some schools are wrong to turn their nose up at the new post season tournament. If you can get an opportunity to continue playing and get your younger players some needed experience, why not do it?

Here is my formula for the post season

There should be a NCAA D1 tournament and a D1AA tournament that starts a week earlier. D1AA teams would get same compensation as they would receive if they went into the regular tournament so money would not be a problem. This would involve all the smaller conference teams playing games the week before the selection show with 4 regional winners going into the regular NCAA tournament which would give them a week to rest legs for the big tournament. This way you would have room for the Virginia Tech's of the world who would beat most of the teams coming out of smaller conferences, as well as room to even award any smaller conference team an at large bid based on them having just an exceptional record that season.

I understand the NCAA tournament is a highlight for players and schools. Especially smaller ones who love the financial gains. This way the field would be expanded and there would be room for additional teams without watering down the field.