The NCAA tournament, or March Madness as many people refer to it, is a timeless tradition in American sports. Unfortunately, the NCAA seems hellbent on adjusting the tournament, which is about as perfect as it can be, and "Pardon The Interruption" host Michael Wilbon isn't thrilled with the potential future change to the tournament, nor is his co-host Tony Kornheiser.
The two discussed the possible changes to the iconic event, which will involve increasing the number of teams from 68 to 76, and absolutely unloaded on the NCAA, calling it "worthless".
“You’re leaving this to a body, up there that logo that says ‘NCAA,’ there’s not a more worthless brand in sports. There’s not a more mistrusted brand in all of sports than the logo that says ‘NCAA,'” Wilbon said. “Because the people who rule for that body, they look like clowns much of the time."
Wilbon continued by pointing out how perfect a product the tournament is and how the NCAA is probably going to screw everything up. The NCAA already insisted on increasing the number of teams for the College Football Playoffs, and now wants its basketball tournament to follow suit.
“They’re going to screw this up,” Wilbon said. “It’s an iconic event, brand, the Final Four, March Madness, the Big Dance, all of that. And they’re not smart enough to leave it alone.”
ESPN analyst Michael Wilbon torches NCAA with brutal comments
Wilbon's right. The NCAA Tournament is perfect as is. There's the first four that takes place a few days before the actual tournament starts, and then the first and second rounds are played from Thursday to Sunday.
What follows then is a week off, and then the Sweet Sixteen the next Thursday and Friday, and then the Elite Eight on Saturday and Sunday. Then, of course, the Final Four and National Championship follow the next weekend (Saturday and Monday).
Kornheiser pointed out that the NCAA is obviously doing this for one reason only, and that's money.
“There is only one reason for expansion, just one. It is money,” Kornheiser said. “The teams that come in at No. 69 or No. 71 or No. 76, they can’t win this tournament. They cannot win this tournament. They are in there to gin up television revenue and gin up gate revenue. That’s all this is about.”
Couldn't have said it any better myself. At least with the College Football Playoff, the other teams being thrown into the mix have a legitimate shot at winning the title (just look at Ohio State this past year, winning it all as an eight-seed.
The extra teams being added as a result of a college basketball expansion aren't going to make a deep run in the tournament, so money is truly the only reason this is going to happen. It'll be a bummer to see a wonderful product get ruined by greed, but it looks as though we're heading in that direction, unfortunately.