WELCOME TO MARCH - LET THE MADNESS BEGIN

Welcome to the Madness that is March….Let the whining and second guessing begin.  Yes, I am talking about who will be “dancing” when the NCAA field of 68 is announced on Selection Sunday. 

I have always thought that the field was perfect at 64, but then a few years back the NCAA powers that be decided to expand the field by making two of the small conference teams face off on Tuesday Night in Dayton for the right to join the field of 64.  This first expansion was brought about largely to the whining by Syracuse Coach Jim Boeheim when his team was left out of the tournament a couple of years before.  So as a result, the NCAA decided to take a spot away from one of the small schools and give it to one of the larger so called BCS Schools.

Now for the past couple of years we have further watered down the field with the so called “first four” in Dayton. These four winners will join the field of 64 on Thursday and Friday.  The debate now has advanced with this year’s tournament as to what teams must play in the First Four.

A few days ago bracketologist Joe Lunardi had defending National Champion Kentucky, playing on Tuesday Night in Dayton for the right to join of 64. The very thought of this enraged the “Big Blue Nation.”  Just the thought of the Mighty Wildcats having to play for the right to be in the tournament had the Big Blue Faithful flooding sports talk shows with all kinds of reason as to why the Wildcats should be exempt from such a degrading feat.

Excuses ranged from “We are the defending National Champions and should be in the tournament regardless of our record,” to “We are Kentucky, and the tournament would not be complete without Big Blue.”

One Kentucky Caller even went so far as to state that several of Kentucky’s losses this year were to teams who were or would be rank in the top five in the polls.  Those are “Good” losses and should not count against us.  To me there is no such thing as a “Good Loss.”

Now I understand a passionate fan base, but these arguments are just stupid. What it all boils down to is if you want to go dancing in March, then win your games.  If you win you take the decision out of the selection committee’s hands and basically control your own destiny. 

For me as a fan I would rather see a good Northern Iowa or a good Lehigh team competing in the big dance rather than a mediocre Kentucky or Syracuse.  These smaller teams can compete and yes they can win, just ask Kansas and Duke.  I was in Oklahoma City and was lucky enough to be seated with some of the Northern Iowa Fan when they upset the might Jayhawk. I was also in Greensboro last year when the Lehigh Mountain Hawks came into Duke’s back yard and sent the Might Blue Devils packing.  The fact that these smaller schools are able to not only compete and WIN is what makes the NCAA Tournament great. I honestly believe that the fans of these smaller schools are more passionate and enjoy the experience more because they don’t take it for granted.  They honestly believe that they have WON the right to be here and make the most of their tournament experience.

But for the NCAA they would rather have a mediocre Kentucky and their 20,000 fans rather than a Lehigh and they 1,000 to 2,000 fans. It all boils down to money.  But I would urge the NCAA to look closely at what makes March Madness “Mad.” Before the NCAA further waters down the tournament, it need to look at the VCU’s the George Mason, the Butlers and Gonzaga’s. These teams belong and they proved they belong when given the chance.  In fact it I was running things at the NCAA I would take the tournament back to 64 and tell the Kentucky’s and Syracuse’s of the world, If you want to be part of the Madness, all you have to do is Win and you are In.

I’m off to Kansas City – Let the Madness Begin.