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  • March 16, 2008 08:49 PM ET

The Field of the NCAA Men's BBall Tournament needs to be expanded

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I'll probably get hammered by the tradionalist here on fannation, but it would be in the best interest of the tournament to expand the field.

It can be voted on as to how many teams to expand, I could make a case for 16, 32, or even 64 teams, but more teams need to be added.

Every year there are deserving teams that were "snubbed" by the selection committee since there are only a limited number of at-large bids available (34 this year).

ASU, Dayton, Illinois State, Mississippi, OSU, VCU, and VT are just a couple of the teams that won't be dancing this year that would have big time upset potential in the tournament.

Expanding the field leaves the mid-major conference winners still getting their chance to dance, but now offers more major conference teams a chance to pull the upset. How exciting was it seeing Georgia pull of their run in the conference tourney? Opening up the field offers more talented major conference schools into the dance and will create more excitement for fans.

While the 64 team tournament is successful, adding more teams will offer more upset potential and more games for the fans to enjoy.


There is no chance, that the NCAA should, or will ever expand the tournament field.

Every year, teams are on the bubble. Some get in, some don't. There are over 300 D-1 teams! 300! If you expanded to 150, teams 151-155 would feel "snubbed."

It's clear you believe that the more talented, major conference teams should be in the tournament. If so, why not eliminate the automatic bid? Why not make all 64 bids into the tournament at-large bids? That way, a team like Coppin State, a team that finished the season with 20 losses, wouldn't even sniff the tournament, and a team like Syracuse, which looks like a final four contender one game and the most unfocused group of players in the country when they blow an 11 point lead with 3 minutes left the next day.

Even thought the elimination of automatic bids makes more sense than expansion, neither action should be taken. The combined excitement of conference playoffs, with selection sunday makes March Madness one of the most perfect sporting events this country has. March Madness is when true college hoops fans can play sick and stay home to watch the 7/10 game. Let's not make another great event, a whoreish spectacle. (Super Bowl)


"There is no chance, that the NCAA should, or will ever expand the tournament field."
--just so we're clear, i'm not arguing that they will do it, i'm arguing they SHOULD do it.

"If you expanded to 150, teams 151-155 would feel "snubbed.""
--I think you misunderstand, I'm saying there are quality teams that got left out of the tournament this year. I'm not arguing that every single team should get in, I'm saying deserving teams have been left out.

"why not eliminate the automatic bid?"
--that would be a HORRIBLE idea. If schools are D-1, they have to have a shot at the tournament. The automatic bids are needed to ensure those smaller programs have a shot at existance.

There will still be selection sunday, there will still be conference tourneys, now we just add 1 more set of games to make the tournament that much MORE exciting.

And if there are only 16 or 32 teams expanded, then the weaker, mid-major flukes that have a bad regular season and win their tourney will likely be eliminated early and we won't have to bore ourself in that 16-1 matchup. The weaker teams will be eliminated earlier and there will be more upset potential earlier in the tournament


I'm not quite sure why your trying to ruin the best championship system American college sports has?

The BCS is an absolute atrosity. Year in and year out, the country is split as to who they believe to be the best team in college football.

College Baseball? I wish I knew what time and on what channel a game was on. The CWS is so hard to find and follow, that it gets no press whatsoever, therefore no viewage.

March Madness. 31 automatic bids, and the next BEST 34 teams in the country. Any team, that has any chance of winning 6 consecutive games in this tournament. Teams that persevered through a tornado, having to play TWO GAMES IN ONE DAY are in. By the time we crown a national champion, there will be great stories having come and gone. Players we never heard of will win games and become legends and players we know will choke.

Why would you want to diminish such an event? If a team wants to make the NCAA tournament, win the games you need to win. No excuses. Coppin State sucks. Georgia sucks, but they both won the games when they counted. Thats the beauty of college basketball. If we add more teams, no good could possibly come of it.


"I'm not quite sure why your trying to ruin the best championship system American college sports has?"
-ruin? not at all. what i'm trying to do is to make it even better by adding more teams that are deserving. what is your answer to that?

I in no way want the tournament to be like the BCS, where did you get that idea?

"By the time we crown a national champion, there will be great stories having come and gone. Players we never heard of will win games and become legends and players we know will choke."
--EXACTLY!!!! and by adding more teams there will be more stories, more opportunities for cinderellas and more players that have a chance to rise to the occasion.

"Why would you want to diminish such an event? If a team wants to make the NCAA tournament, win the games you need to win. No excuses. Coppin State sucks. Georgia sucks, but they both won the games when they counted. ... If we add more teams, no good could possibly come of it."
-you are way off base here. I'm in no way saying I want to diminish it. It's the best championship, and I'm trying to make it better. The NCAA added an extra game so they know its not perfect and they want to make it better.


It's unfortunate that fans can't just sit back and enjoy sports anymore. They have to sit and find ways to tweak it or find things wrong with it. If a team "deserves" to play in this tournament, they need to win there conference tournament, or win enough games during the season to receive an at large bid. That's it.

Why do teams like Syracuse, Arizona State and Dayton deserve to be inthe tournament. Dayton lost to Xavier 3 times! They simply couldnt get it done in there conf. tourney and now theyll be playing in the NIT.

If anything should be changed, it's the way in which teams are selected. If your going to give the RPI a lot of importance, than do it. Don't do it for some teams and not for others. A uniform selection process should be adhered to, not invite every team in D-1.

Comments (25) Add A Comment

March 16, 2008  09:13 PM ET
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It could be expanded...but in the end...no one who ever has a chance gets left out. When 16 seeds get anywhere near the final four...THEN we should talk about expanding it

March 16, 2008  09:19 PM ET
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It would take too long.

March 16, 2008  09:20 PM ET
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It would take too long.
erwin: Superstar | 03/16/08, 09:19 PM
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really? how do you figure? 2 extra days - maybe even just 1

March 16, 2008  09:24 PM ET
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If you added 64 extra teams, it would double the time it takes now. That's about two weeks I think. A month? No way.

March 16, 2008  09:27 PM ET
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If you added 64 extra teams, it would double the time it takes now. That's about two weeks I think. A month? No way.
erwin: Superstar | 03/16/08, 09:24 PM
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no...that adds only 1 game per team....they could all be played over 2 days. personally i think adding 64 more teams wouldn't be smart, but it is an idea i heard today

March 16, 2008  09:34 PM ET
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Expansion=watering down the field. Vote right.

March 16, 2008  09:38 PM ET
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watering down or beefing up? How would be letting ASU, Dayton, VT and the other schools I mention weaken this field?

March 16, 2008  09:58 PM ET
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ASU and company didnt get it done in a few select games during the season to get invited to the most select party invitation in American College Basketball. Those teams just need to go home and get better next year and win a few more games and quit whinning like the creator of this throwdown.

March 16, 2008  10:02 PM ET
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i'm not a fan of any of those teams (nor do i pretend to like any teams)........i'm a college basketball fan and i enjoy watching the best match ups possible. It is not whining (notice 1 n) although i know you have plenty of whining experience

March 16, 2008  10:06 PM ET
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Yeah everday I hit Fannation guys like you are shedding a waterfall of tears about what is wrong with everything in the sportsworld when 90 percent of us love things just the way they are. Do you charge when people want to risk going over your flood of tears?

March 16, 2008  10:08 PM ET
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Yeah everday I hit Fannation guys like you are shedding a waterfall of tears about what is wrong with everything in the sportsworld when 90 percent of us love things just the way they are. Do you charge when people want to risk going over your flood of tears?
Cassidy's House: FN Fine | 03/16/08, 10:06 PM
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sticks and stones....i'm sharing my opinion because i'm not a blind homer fan pretending to be someone i'm not. no one has to read all my opinions and no one has to like them. that's the beauty of this site and of america. if you don't like it you don't have to be here. don't let the door hit ya...

March 16, 2008  10:12 PM ET
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Me not liking it is why I voted against you. God Bless America.

March 16, 2008  10:12 PM ET
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i think its fine the way it is

March 16, 2008  10:14 PM ET
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Me not liking it is why I voted against you. God Bless America.
Cassidy's House: FN Fine | 03/16/08, 10:12 PM
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and this is a prime example of why you are an awful fannation member. you shouldn't vote out of spite. vote on best arguments

March 16, 2008  10:14 PM ET
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Me not liking it is why I voted against you. God Bless America.
Cassidy's House: FN Fine | 03/16/08, 10:12 PM
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and this is a prime example of why you are an awful fannation member. you shouldn't vote out of spite. vote on best arguments

March 16, 2008  10:16 PM ET
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I dont like people trying to change the sportsworld landscape every 30 minutes like you Duq. My vote against you was for your crying argument not out of spite. Way to twist things around though. You fool only yourself.

March 16, 2008  10:19 PM ET
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I suggest 4 play-in games, like wild cards in the NFL. 6 more teams is better than none, and theres about 5 or 6 teams a year i think should've gotten in.

March 16, 2008  10:20 PM ET
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Every year 10 percent of the fans want to make all these extra game changes, and every year the NCAA says no. Thank God they are the voice of reason.

March 16, 2008  10:53 PM ET
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My vote against you was for your crying argument not out of spite. Way to twist things around though. You fool only yourself.
Cassidy's House: FN Fine | 03/16/08, 10:16 PM
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you mean copying exactly what you wrote? i'm not the one playing the games on here roy

 
March 17, 2008  01:14 AM ET
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i dunno weather i should vote on teh arguments between DUQ and cassidy or the TD...hmmm....

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