[NU Sports] NCAA Poised to Expand to Field of 96; NIT Slated for Extinction

[SjT (Stephen J. Truog)]

An idiotic idea to be sure -- but PLEASE don't be equating this idiocy with the morons who run the B(C)S.:)

If anything, a 96-team field would be like the current bowl system we have now -- one where we just make it so that every team gets a trophy and makes the postseason ... one where those "poor" .500 teams in 7th place from a big conference get into the postseason. It is nothing like a 4-, 8- or 16-team playoff would be ... maybe a 32-team football playoff.

It also continues to shoot holes in any excuse the college presidents have for propping up the B(C)S ... so much for missing class for a FULL MONTH of March Madness (plus the conference tourneys the week before!) ... so much for fans, who will now be asked to travel to FOUR spots around the nation to follow their team to the Final Four (unless, of course, they're from UNC or Duke, because the first two round will be in Raleigh, the next two in Greensboro and the next two in Charlotte).

So while I am in wholehearted agreement that this is an insipid idea (the only logical "expansion" would be 68, with four "play-in" games that actually give those 16-seeds a meaningful game) ... don't try and link it with the B(C)S, either as a defense of that mess or as a reason to not try a playoff.:

We gotta make it this year or next ... making a 96-team cut just wouldn't be the same!

GO CATS!!!
-SjT

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STEPHEN J. TRUOG
sjtruog at yahoo.com
GO CATS!!!