3.11.10 11:05 a.m.
Today is a big day in the lives of the guys on the Robert Morris basketball team. They’re going to the NCAA tournament. They got the automatic bid by beating Quinnipiac for the Northeast Conference title last night. They should be happy and proud and I don’t want to be a party pooper, but, I don’t think they should be going.
There will be at least 32 teams that I don’t think belong in the tournament. I’m sure you’ve seen the ridiculous numbers that show what an exercise in futility it is for a team like RMU to go to the tournament as a 15th or 16th seed. They’re celebrating the fact that they’re going to be cannon fodder. RMU’s going to play one game.
Wouldn’t it be more fun for the players to play in a tournament that they might have a chance to win? Teams like RMU that play in second and third tier conferences should be playing in a 32 team tournament that could result in a national championship.
Sorry, but I’ve just never bought into the heartwarming stories about the Robert Morrises of the world who are getting that once in a lifetime chance to dance on the big stage. There will be a close game or two and there may even be a huge upset by a 15 or 16 seed, but most of the games are boring blowouts.
Teams like RMU playing each other would provide more good basketball than what we’ll be getting from the 64 team tournament. I’ll never understand how leading a player to slaughter qualifies as doing him a favor.