The Opening Round Game

[valporun]

I don't know what everybody else feels about the opening round game, but honestly, I'm starting to get bored with the constant SWAC/NEC/Big South/Summit/Patriot Mid-Major matchup with a bad team in the tourney for the first time versus another mid-major who is in the dance for 3rd/4th/5th time, only to be playing for the fate of playing the #1 seed that seemingly has the easiest route to the Final Four. Take tonight for example, in the second half, once Pine Bluff started to make a run, Winthrop just kinda shutdown and started to think, "Eh, let Pine Bluff go on to play Duke, and get creamed". The opening round game either needs to end for good, or the idea I have heard from another media source is to have the last two bubble teams play for what might be an 8/9/10 seed, make it so that the two bubble teams that got in by the skin of their jocks play to show that they really deserve to be in the NCAA tourney, rather than the NIT/CIT/CBI. I would have much rather watched say a Wake Forest take on a Utah State for a 9 or 10 seed, and play like they care.

This would not only make the opening round game more interesting to the general public, but makes that group of kids really earn the right to play on Friday against another evenly matched team, rather than now watching Arkansas-Pine Bluff get to walk out with a 12-point win over Winthrop just because Wintrop didn't seem to want to win and go on to play Duke.

I'm open to everyone's opinion on whether they agree or disagree with this thought about the opening round game, or if they'd rather see the opening round game end, and either expand the tourney or go back to 64 teams.

[rlh]

the problem is they can't elimnate it because of the number of conferences that qualify for automatic bids, unless they eliminate on of the at large teams. Since the at large number was set before the additional conference came into being, they came up with this idea. I agree they should either get rid of it, or have 3 more play in games to decide the 16th seeds. I heard Steve Lavin bring this up tonight and it sounds like a idea that should be considered

[valporun]

Mar 16, 2010 21:29:42 GMT -5 rlh said:

the problem is they can't elimnate it because of the number of conferences that qualify for automatic bids, unless they eliminate on of the at large teams. Since the at large number was set before the additional conference came into being, they came up with this idea. I agree they should either get rid of it, or have 3 more play in games to decide the 16th seeds. I heard Steve Lavin bring this up tonight and it sounds like a idea that should be considered

Why should it just involve the #16 seed always, why not the bubble teams? If the bubbles played in thru play-in games to be 9 or 10 seeds, I might be more excited about the difference the opening round game/games would really make to the tournament bracket.

[rlh]

I'm just repeating what Lavin was proposing....I think it's worth looking at...I wouldn't have a problem either way....I'd rather see this than expanding to 96 teams....