The NIT Conspiracy

I am Mad. I have March Madness. And not the kind of madness that you're thinking. Not the Madness that means crazed and frenzied, not the kind that's like in the song "They're Coming to Take Me Away, Ha Ha". No, I am Mad. Angry Mad. I am Mad at the NCAA Tournament and what it is doing. Yes, I know I am a Maryland fan and alumni, and am probably venting because we did not get selected into the Dance. And maybe that is clouding my perception of the selection process. But maybe not. Let me elaborate on what I think the NCAA tournament is doing and then you can decide for yourself if I'm just insane or not.

You may have read my previous rant about why I think the Missouri Valley Conference does not deserve the recognition it does, and teams like Maryland should be given a nod over them, because of the relative difference in conference strength. Well, wouldn't you know it, the MVC got 4 bids into the Dance, the same as the ACC, Big 12, and PAC 10 recieved. Maryland, Florida St, Michigan, Cincinatti, Louisville, and Colorado (I'll label them Group 1) did not make the cut. Now here's a list of at large teams that did: Air Force, George Mason, Bradley, Northern Iowa, Utah St., and Wichita St (Group 2). Now, I'll concede that Group 2 may have good records and good RPI's and blah, blah, blah. But if I were to ask you to pick 5 teams out of both groups to actually make a run to get to the Final Four, would you take any teams out of Group 2? Any?? Of course not. That's because we all know the teams of Group 1 are battle-tested, quality teams from power conferences with rich histories who know how to win. On top of that, they have at least a CHANCE to go very far, and a remote chance of even winning.

There is one major reason why I think the selection committee picked Group 2 to go in this year. It's what I call the NIT Conspiracy. The NCAA just recently bought, and owns, the NIT. That means the NCAA makes money off of the NIT. The NIT has been an afterthough for the last 20 years and I think the NCAA is now trying to make it a viable tourney, if for no other reason than to MAKE MONEY. Just like the BCS, which we know is still in place because the NCAA makes boatloads of money from it, the NIT can be another way to make some fast cash. And the way to do that is to get some "marquee" names in the NIT. How would the NIT look if George Mason, Utah St., Northern Iowa, and Bradley were the #1 seeds? I would rather watch Flavor of Love. Now that Maryland, Michigan, Louisville, and Cincy are the #1 seeds, they all attract national attention and can get a lot viewers for what the NCAA hopes to build on. The NCAA tournament is watering down it's field so that the NIT can get some of the action. Instead of putting all the big boys in together and letting them fight it out, they are rewarding smaller schools who have had nice seasons, and could possibly win a game or two, but have no real shot at anything further than that.

This is why I am mad. Who really cares about the NIT? Well now you know who cares, it's the NCAA, and they are forcing me to care as well since I, along with thousands of other Terp, Bearcat, Wolverine, and Cardinals fans, will watch the NIT as the NCAA will cross their fingers and hope their product catches on.

And you can call me Mel Gibson all you want, but I'm on to something here. Just you wait...

Ease his Pain

Aww, Nik. It's OK.

So your team didn't make it to the NCAA tourney your Junior and Senior season, when the mantle of leadership was on your shoulders. No Big Deal.

So you played yourself out of the NBA draft completely by not being able to step up when it counted most. That's OK. You look European anyway. They'll love you over there.

When asked about how he felt about playing in the NIT for the second straight year, Caner-Medly said, "The way the NCAA tournament selection committee is picking teams now, the NIT is turning into a better and better tournament. More and more teams from the big conferences are ending up in the NIT."

This year, teams like Air Force, and George Mason and various teams from the MVC, who won't be around long enough to remember them, got at large bids over teams like Florida State, Cincinatti, and Maryland. In addition, the seeding of some teams makes no sense whatsoever. Tennessee = a 2 seed? Are you kidding me?

So fare thee well, Nik, and thanks for all the memories. I hope you enjoy not playing in the NBA next year, and not playing in the NCAA tounament this year. Remember, what doesn't kill us makes us stronger. Learn to love the pain. The pain will turn you into a man. A Man-Beast; scouring the earth, living in caves, gnawing on an atelope's spinal chord, and howling at the moon. That's what kind of man you are. And may I speak not sarcastically for a second....

I do think your team should have made it. I think your team is better than at least 30% of the teams that actually made it. I'm pissed that your team (my team) didn't make it to the tournament. Win the NIT! Show the world that we belong in the Dance!

One last Nik quote, "I am from Maryland, nobody can beat me". My personal fav.