Rhoden: In Name of Social Justice Expand the Tournament.

Bad basketball teams work just as hard. Well, maybe not at basketball, but at video game and chasing girls and stuff.

 

There are always a couple teams who have a legitimate gripe about not making the tournament.

That said, none of those teams EVER had a legitimate chance to win the tournament, so the dispute isn't who's No. 1 it's who is No. 64.

 

No - like Bill Simmons I have total recall from age 2 on.

 

That's funny...

 

Eh ... I remember Billy Packer having an on-air temper tantrum a few years ago when George Mason got in as an at-large.

 

Which, by the way, is the No. 1 argument against the BCS.

 

And to this day people on the board act as though he just said it and hopes all mid-majors die in a fire. Funny how this year, nobody can gin up the outrage because there's nobody you can make a compelling case for (UAB? Wichita State? William and By God Mary?) The biggest complaints are on behalf of Mississippi State and Virginia Tech, and they're not THAT good.

To be fair, though, George Mason getting in triggered a number of temper-tantrums.

 

There were good arguments against George Mason.

But my point is that arguing the at-larges isn't just an academic exercise. Some of them have a legit chance to, if not win, at least make a long run. And they also can impact the tournament even if they don't win by taking out other teams.

 

I'd rather have No. 66 (or No. 97) crying than No. 3.

 

There were ... but Packer didn't make any of them at the time.

 

Can the kids at lower tier schools afford video games? As far as chasing girls some can only afford to date their sisters.

 

Bingo