Re: NCAA expanding to 96 teams?

Geezaldinho · by Geezaldinho on Wed Feb 03, 2010 1:24 pm

MesaPilot1 wrote:

Maybe UP7587, or Geez or someone who's got a kid over 12 yrs old can explain to some of these young and wet behind the ears guys the history of the NIT vrs NCAA tourney. I don't have the time nor the patience , I just know that I have had Major College Basketball games season tickets since 1974. Before some of these experts were born, (tongue in cheek) .In case anybody wants the debate , take it up with Geez or somebodywho's a history buff and will straighten you out. Knocking(Shame on you, Shame , Shame, Shame, Shame on you) the long , and what was once the storied tournament for DECADES,DECADES in College Basketball shows an GIANT IGNORANCE TO THE HISTORY OF COLLEGE BASKETBALL.

If only some of you guys were old enough to watch the 64 team tourney at its inception....Oh well, I never got to have an X-box or cell phone (remember party lines geez, and they werent 976 numbers either guys,lol ) growing up so I guess I really missed out too,yeah right.

When I was a Kid the NIT's was the tournament. it had all the Caché of playing in Madison Square garden to sold out crowds. You got there by invitation only. It didn't depend on you winning the Atlantic Podunk conference championship. The NCAA's was the second class event.

And I lived in the country once, Our ring was two shorts and a long. Didn't need cell phone's, though. The operator always seemed to know where you were and would ring the house where you were visiting.

The closest the mailman would come to our house was a crossroads 1/2 mile away. I had to battle a mean Saint Bernard named Susie to open the mailbox and roll up the car window before she took a chunk out of my arm.

And

Rochin54 · by Rochin54 on Wed Feb 03, 2010 2:11 pm

Rochin54 · by Rochin54 on Wed Feb 03, 2010 2:12 pm

When i was little, I had to blow on my video games to make them work.

PurplePrideTrumpet · by PurplePrideTrumpet on Wed Feb 03, 2010 2:26 pm

Rochin54 wrote:When i was little, I had to blow on my video games to make them work.

Me too!

Didn't Al McGuire turn down Marquette's NCAA bid in favor of playing the NIT once? (BTW I think Marquette has some really cool jerseys with their chekered trim and the patch that says AL at the neck.)

My dad will tell you there used to be time when there was one way into the NCAAs--win you conference's automatic berth. In John Feinstein's book on the ACC he recounts some very intense ACC championships where everyone knew only the winner was going to the NCAAs and the loser was out. These days the top teams in the big conferences know they're getting in regardless of what happens in the conference tournament.

mattywizz · by mattywizz on Thu Feb 04, 2010 8:54 pm

I remember growing up there were only 64 teams in the NCAA tourney.

goldhelmet · by goldhelmet on Sun Feb 14, 2010 2:29 pm

I really hope this does not come to pass...They've got one of the best things going in all of sports. The first four days of the NCAA tournament - especially the first two days - are possibly the best weekend in all of sports. It's about as
"pure" as your going to get. They've got it just right with 64 (I mean 65 - I really wish they would do away with the play-in game).

Don't mess with a good thing. Leave it alone. But they probably won't because they see $$$$.

Purple_Portland_Pilot_113 · by Purple_Portland_Pilot_113 on Sun Feb 14, 2010 2:47 pm

I'm an old timer. The tournament should go back to the top 32 teams. Now, the way the tournament is set up now, a team that went like 5-22 could win their conference tournament, get a automatic bid to the NCAA, and win the tournament being a like 10-22 team. If you put 96 teams in, the NIT would be gone. If we went back to 32 teams, the NIT would be PHENOMENAL! Imagine. All those bubble teams. Illinois, Cincinnati, Connecticut, California, Florida, Dayton. If your going to expand to 96 teams, just put everyone in. It's ridiculous! But, the only people that gain..are the coaches. "I can't be fired, I made it to the tournament didn't I?"

NCAA: 32 Teams.

**NewUPFan** · by **NewUPFan** on Mon Feb 15, 2010 10:40 am

Well, even if it was 32 teams you could still have a 5-22 team make it and win the tournament. back when it was smaller the only way to get in was win your conference. And if a 5-22 team wins their conference tournament they would still make it in with 32 teams.

I am with goldhelment, and many others. Leave it at 64ish.

Purple_Portland_Pilot_113 · by Purple_Portland_Pilot_113 on Mon Feb 15, 2010 10:55 am

Oh NewUPFan I meant to say if you went back to 32, you would get rid of the automatic bid from the conference tournament. Sorry for the confusion. Just the top 32 teams in the Naiton. Ranks 1-32, that's all. So once again, the NIT would improve.

**DaTruRochin** · by **DaTruRochin** on Mon Feb 15, 2010 11:10 am

Yeah, but you do the top 32 ranks you get a huge BCS style snafu about that poor 33rd ranked team. And on top of that if you go just by ranking it pretty much eliminates the need for conferences at all, and the conferences are just too big and powerful to every allow that to happen.

Purple_Portland_Pilot_113 · by Purple_Portland_Pilot_113 on Mon Feb 15, 2010 11:38 am

Thank you for clearing that up. I understand now, that that was then, and this is now. Conferences have gotten bigger and the tournament should stay at 64 (Not 65) teams. Thank you very much, I really appreciate it DaTruRochin and NewUPFan.

Woodless! · by Woodless! on Mon Feb 15, 2010 11:58 am

Rochin54 wrote:When i was little, I had to blow on my video games to make them work.

Winner is you!

mattywizz · by mattywizz on Sat Feb 27, 2010 10:35 am

Did anyone else see gameday today? They were talking about the tournament, who's in, who's out and whatnot. Then Jay Bilas says something to the effect of, "This is the weakest at-large year ever. We aren't talking about who is better than other teams, but who is worse and doesn't deserve to be in." So what you're saying is that there are not 64 (er, 65) deserving teams. I think now would be an excellent time to expand to 96, or 132 or...

**DaTruRochin** · by **DaTruRochin** on Mon Mar 22, 2010 1:25 am

New article today in the NY Times about expansion, and if it does happen, it should be used to bring in more programs like SMC and UNI, not mediocre teams from big conferences:

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/22/sports/ncaabasketball/22thamel.html?src=twt&twt=nytimes