American Idol?

Is it bad that I'm watching AI on my DVR right now instead of the play-in game?

Maybe it's the 8.5 that I had to give tonight.

Maybe it's the aversion to watching the cannon fodder bowl for Kansas (again, why does the 4 seed get the worst team in the tournament?)

Maybe it's the childhood crush I had on Paula Abdul.

Maybe I'm afraid to trail Raap already.

Whatever it is, the play-in game might be the dumbest idea of all time. So what if Illinois, Stanford, or Arkansas have to stay home (since both teams are conference champs)? What possible purpose on Earth could there be to put two bad teams against each other on a Tuesday night when everyone's waiting for Thursday? It's like the wild card round when the two best teams have byes, except in this case, 63 teams have byes. Is it the "don't keep score so everyone wins" scenario that they want to give one of these lower level teams a moment in the spotlight? But the spotlight needs to be shining and the only one shining now is from those of us who actually bet on the game.

Finally, While I understand what T-Dog said in his response about these mid-majors scrapping the posteason tournament, the upset bug in the postseason is too great to throw away the possibility that one of these no names could still make the Big Dance. That's the reason why they shouldn't expand the tournament. It makes the conference tourney games that much more important. The regular season is to determine seeding.

The thing that fixes all this is sending the message to the big schools that they have to play the better mid-majors during the year. I guarantee that if one of these 28-4 mid-majors beat an Illinois or Stanford and lose in their tournament, they will receive serious consideration. It has worked for Southern Illinois the past few years. Unfortunately, the Jim Boheims will moan and wail that they lost to the mid-majors but if you can't beat them, what makes you think you belong with the Tar Heels.

Or even the Iowas? Of course, they didn't even make the NIT meaning they are probably the first Big Ten team in history to have a .500 conference record and over .500 record and not make any postseason tournament.

It's a fate deserving of any team that loses to Northwestern State in the NCAA tournament after leading by 16.

Cheers,
Reg