Selecting for Madness
Once again the selection committee has been proven right. The magic of the tournament is not the final four or elite eight. That is where the sport is. But the magic is always found in the first or second round when almost anything can happen.
I applaud the committee, their process, and especially their outcomes. Low seed championship miracles do not come around often. Hoping to find a 12 seed that just might go all the way is that path to ruining this tournament, not improving it. Choosing a 12 seed that might just stun the world, if given the chance, now that is what makes this tournament like no other.
You can always count on drop your jock shock somewhere in the first two rounds. Can’t predict them, can’t plan for them, can’t RPI analyze your way to them. All you can do is create an environment where they can happen. That means you have to invite some teams that could become a Cinderella.
This year’s annual complaining about too many mid-major at-large selections is ridiculous. Billy Packer and a host of other CBS analysts should know better. 8 of 34 at-large slots for mid-majors is a good mix for the tournament, and essential to keeping March the raving Mad wonder that it always is.
You can complaint about Cincy’s snub, but look to why Seton Hall was chosen rather than complain that Air Force was undeserving. And the reason the committee doesn’t explain why Air Force was more deserving than Cincy is because they probably can’t; and shouldn’t. Some Big East low life beating Illinois is pedestrian, but give Air Force a shot and a miracle may materialize before our eyes.
Want proof. Billy Packer’s way of packing the tourney full of power conference players would be like re-running the conference tournaments, just inter-major conference. But look at the rating difference between conference tournaments that the big dance. And it is due to the chance to see Cinderella every year. We know we will see her. She shows up every year because she was invited. We just don’t know her name yet.
So Billy, the bottom of the at-large list is not about the deserving, it is about inviting two fists full of possible Cinderella’s so that America can watch a few teams every year somehow find a way to make the slipper fit.
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