Semi OT - Impact of March Madness on College Football
Well, March Madness is over and it was a great one. While watching Butler and Duke battle it out, I couldn't help but think about the potential impact Butler's success could have on other college sports, CFB in particular. In the BCS system, Butler would have been playing in the pansy bowl on Dec. 23rd against F.U. State College. Well, perhaps not that unnoticed, but they for sure wouldn't have been selected to play in the MNC game. Do any of you out there think that Butler's success could quicken the process towards adopting a playoff in CFB? Perhaps, it's just wishful thinking on my part, but if anyone in the media picks this up and runs with it, it is hard to argue against what I've said.
If the NCAA has proved anything, it's that they do exactly the opposite of what fans want.
We all want a football playoff. They don't do it.
NO ONE wants a 96-team tournament. They move ahead with it.
People hate Duke they win the National Championship. It pays to be a contrarian. Come on everyone hates Michigan NC-Ship!
I don't get this firm opposition to a 96-team tournament. Yeah, it'll water things down, but isn't it already watered down? Last year we went .500 in Big Ten play and lost 13 regular-season games, and got to play in the tourney (and as a 10 seed, we weren't close to being the last team in). With 96 teams, just think of it as being like the high school state tournament, where everyone gets a shot.
Unfortunately I don't see this having much of an effect. I mean did Memphis v. Kansas two years ago have a lasting impact?
The problem is is that for these small teams to make an impact, they have to win, and in the two opportunities over the last two years, Memphis and Butler have failed to do so.
And in Football, as long as there are people selecting the teams who play each other and not allowing the teams to do so, we will keep seeing small teams like Boise St and TCU playing each other instead of playing the big boys.
Also, basketball is perfectly situated for having the number of March Madness games in the span of a month to determine an NC (on top of those immediately prior to the Tournament for conference championships). The opportunities given to small schools to pull a Butler will never happen in any other major sport. Sad, but true. Even if you bring in a playoff in CFB, we'll still have like 13 traditional football schools and 3 nontraditional schools competing. Meaning your more likely to see Northern Iowa/Bucknell phenomenons (i.e. schools going far but not all the way) than Butler/George Mason phenomenons
Man, but if that shot fell. It would've been one of those "where were you when..." moments...