With conference tournaments starting for mid-majors this week, we are two weeks away from the best-postseason in sports. My two favorite aspects of the tournament are the inclusion of mid-majors schools; these schools get the chance of a lifetime by getting to play the big-time programs that overlooked them as players and would never schedule these small schools in the regular season. Other sports only include about 16 teams at most, and division 1 college basketball includes 65 (with talks of expansion to 96 teams). Historically, these schools fair poorly in the tournament, but just the opportunity and the rare upset (George Mason in 2006 was probably the best example of this) makes it fun to watch. Then there is the format, 1-game elimination. This creates incredible pressure on all teams; teams that go 32-1 in the regular season can be out in one game if they have an off game. In professional baseball, basketball, and hockey they play 5 to 7 game series. The 1-game format favors the underdog, especially since the NCAA tournament is played on neutral court (although top seeds get to play close to home). This makes the NCAA tournament the most exciting in all of sports.
Zach Stiffel
Kin 332I Sec. 2
1 comment:
I definitely agree that March Madness is the best and most exciting time in sports. There is so much excitement for the schools who will be entering the tournament as well as the schools who are hopeful of drawing a seed in the field of 65. Especially for the smaller schools, the potential of being in the tournament is a big deal. For example our conference, the Big West, knows that the only team making the tournament will be the winner of our conference tournament, which makes every game beginning wednesday the biggest game of the season. I can only imagine how wild it would be if CSULB made the NCAA tournament!! This is also a time in which a lot of people only watch this part of the basketball season. They know that every game could be a team's last so the opportunity for lower ranked teams to upset a favorite brings drama and suspense. it should definitely be another great tournament
Jose Magallan
Kin332 Section 2
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