Word is filtering out more and more that the powers that be are legitimately considering a ruination of the singular thing they do right.
The NCAA basketball tournament.
Expansion.
To as many as 96 schools.
Cue the Barret Strong: “Money/ That’s what I want.”
It is perhaps the worst idea since, oh, the beginning of ideas. Or, at least, the Edsel.
I keep thinking of a fellow who helped guide me through the early days of my recovery.
One of his go to sayings, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.”
Which he would say with such stentorian conviction that you’d think he invented the catchphrase.
Were he still around, I swear I’d be inclined to deposit him in my Crosstrek and tote him up to Indy, and after a stop for pastrami and latkes at Shapiro’s, take him up to NC2A HQ beside White River State Park.
I’d march him and have him bellow such advice to the muckety mucks in charge.
What is so fascinating about this ridiculous idea is that I haven’t heard one person who really cares about college hoops and that glorious three week finale, say it was anything less than a horrible idea.
Which is not to mention how many offices would have to upsize their copiers to manage such a bracket on one sheet of paper.
Geesh.
Were I in charge I’d consider moving the whole tourney back to just 64 schools.
But, that four game play-in set on Tuesday and Wednesday does provide an appetizer before the buffet opens at High Noon on Thursday.
And Dayton, a truly great b-ball town, has become synonymous with those hors d’oeuvres in the same way Omaha has with the CWS.
So, NCAA, do one thing right for the first time in a long while, if maybe ever.
Fuhgettaboutit!!!
— c d kaplan
