The NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Committee recommended Tuesday that the annual championship Tournament expand from 64 to 65 teams, creating an extra "opening-round" game two days before the rest of March Madness begins.
The Division I Championships/Competition Cabinet will decide by Aug. 3 whether to accept the recommendation, which was made to accommodate a 31st conference getting an automatic bid for its champion this year. The number of automatic bids has been 30.
Here's hoping they don't do it. Think of the National Invitational Tournament, whose winner each year can boast of being the 65th best team in the nation. Think of the hardworking kids from some scrappy midsize school winning the NIT and having to settle for saying, "We're No. 66!" Where's the satisfaction in that?
It says here that expanding the Tournament is just another example of the namby-pamby, "let's let everyone have a chance, even if they don't deserve it, so nobody goes home disappointed" attitude that's cutting a wide and destructive path through our culture.
The Big Dance is plenty big enough with 64 teams. Adding a 65th would cheapen it unnecessarily.
Shares