Erik writes:
>Scott writes:
>>(4) The rumor is that the NC$$ selection committee is going to look
>>    for the best six teams in the east to play in the east. The same
>>    for the west. This will be done inorder to increase attendance.
>
>Has anyone else heard this?  I haven't.  If true, I wonder if it has
>anything to do with all four Eastern teams being eliminated in last year's
>East Regional.  I think that the last time there was an all-Western Phinal
>Phour, in 1981, the rules were changed the next year to keep it from
>happening again.  I'm not trying to bash the Eastern teams here (after
>all, there were 3 eastern teams in the 1991 Phinal Phour), I'm just curious
>as to what the motivation is.
 
The attendance factor seems to be the primary concern here, but I think it
will only hurt the tourney if it is done.  I haven't heard this either,
btw.
 
We already have a problem whereby the change in format has made it less
likely for the best 4 teams to make the final four, if the real top 4 are
not split evenly between the regions.  For example, if the top 4 teams are
really Maine, Michigan, Miami, and Minnesota-Duluth, then Mich/Mia/Duluth
would be seeded 1-2-3 in the West and only 2 of those 3 could make the
final four because 2-3 would meet in the regional finals.  The second best
East team gets a break because they don't have to face any of the top 4
teams in the nation before Milwaukee.  (This is only an example, so please,
no complaints about my suggesting that Harvard or BU are not among the top
4 teams in the country.  It could work the other way sometime with 3 of the
top 4 being from the East.)
 
Unfortunately, the change to the regional format last year brought about a
conflict where there would be a problem whichever way the seeding was done.
The brackets which used to be in place (which would have allowed the top 4
teams to make the final four) were changed so that the top 4 teams in each
region could stay at home.  But if the old brackets were kept, then we
would have, for example, the 1-2-5-6 seeds from the East staying home and
the 3-4 seeds going out West - so that it would be better, in a way, to be
seeded 5-6 than 3-4.
 
I don't like the trend towards altering the seedings and regionals in an
attempt to increase attendance.  I would like to see the best teams in the
country have a chance to make it to Milwaukee, but that may not happen.
Attendance and visibility for the tourney is definitely important, but IMO,
not at the expense of the teams that have earned a better chance at
continuing on.  I don't have an answer, but I'd be interested to hear any
ideas anyone else has.
---
Mike Machnik    [log in to unmask]   Color Voice of the Merrimack Warriors
(Any opinions expressed above are strictly those of the poster.)    *HMN*