- 8 hours ago
The Sports Junkies react to March Madness expanding to 76 teams.
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00:00Hey, so the NCAA tournament looks like it's expanding.
00:03That's what Bickle likes.
00:05More teams, of course, used to be 64, then they added the play-in games,
00:10and now they're going to be expanding to 76 teams.
00:15I hate it. I hate it. I hate it. I can't hate it enough.
00:19I mean, a lot of people don't even consider it the tournament.
00:22Why are we lowering the standards?
00:24Play-ins.
00:25Just opening up the gates for everybody to get in the tournament.
00:28Well, the crazy thing to me is they say the driver isn't money,
00:35but rather access for at-large bids for power conferences.
00:39Don't the power conferences get enough bids?
00:43Is this to add an 11th SEC team into the tournament?
00:47You know what I mean?
00:48It's going to add a 500 team in.
00:50I would have hoped that the rationale was to get more of the mid-majors in,
00:54but I guess that's not.
00:56It's for all the Auburns out there.
00:58But you're right.
00:58For conferences that only get one bid,
01:01the teams that kind of get whored at the end by not winning their conference championship,
01:07I kind of like the idea of them getting invited,
01:09but if it's just for power five schools...
01:11Yeah, you don't care as much.
01:13I mean, it doesn't say it's just for that,
01:14but they say that that was the driver,
01:17is the power conferences getting more bids.
01:20The mechanics are this.
01:22It'll include eight additional at-large bids.
01:25What's known as the first four,
01:27which has been eight teams playing for four games in Dayton, Ohio,
01:31would expand to 12 games played by 24 teams at two sites,
01:37one of which is expected to remain in Dayton.
01:39So it'll be 12...
01:40The other one would probably be Indy.
01:4112 sort of play-in games, essentially.
01:44Yes.
01:46And then the 64-team bracket will still begin on Thursday.
01:51Right.
01:52So it's...
01:54Look, Tuesday and Wednesday of the NCAA tournament,
01:58when they do the play-ins,
02:00I have to pay attention to that.
02:02And then once the field is set,
02:04I know some people, like Valdez,
02:06believe you've got to fill out your bracket before.
02:08Oh, he's very militant about that.
02:09I know the latest bracket that we did,
02:11I think...
02:12I don't even think it'll let you have that option.
02:14Right?
02:15It just started with the 64.
02:17Right, because it has the two teams that are in the play,
02:19and then just...
02:20You have to...
02:21You pick that...
02:21Whoever gets that win...
02:23Yes.
02:23...is automatically in for you.
02:24Yes.
02:25Yeah.
02:25Maybe now they're going to have to have wider brackets,
02:29because there's so many new teams.
02:31Yes.
02:32So now you're going to have 12 games.
02:33You're going to have 12 of those on the line.
02:35I know that when I was really, really into Maryland basketball,
02:39and that was for like 20 plus years.
02:40By the way, Maryland basketball getting a lot of hype.
02:42I've seen some people believe that they could be
02:44like the number one most improved team in the country.
02:48Oh, we'll see.
02:48We'll see.
02:49I remember being a fan,
02:51and when we would be on the bubble and maybe not get in,
02:54I was always for...
02:56I was, you know...
02:56Right, adding another team.
02:58Yeah.
02:58Selfishly.
02:58Yeah.
02:59Yeah.
02:59So I'm kind of okay with it.
03:01I don't hate it.
03:02It's a whole new season anyway.
03:05It's like a postseason.
03:07It's kind of like you're in your conference,
03:09and you get a chance to win your conference tournament.
03:13Now it's just on a bigger stage.
03:15I actually don't hate it.
03:17I would like it to be used to get more of the Cinderella-type teams in there,
03:22to get more of the mid-majors.
03:25I guess that's unlikely to happen.
03:27Well, maybe you do.
03:28We don't know.
03:29Maybe you get a couple.
03:29Maybe you get a couple based on schedule strength and, you know,
03:32Ken Palm rankings, et cetera.
03:34If there's a mid-major like Miami of Ohio who had just a crazy year record-wise,
03:40if there's a school like that that just has a crazy record
03:44that doesn't win their conference tournament, maybe they sneak in.
03:47What about George Mason?
03:48I mean, they didn't have the craziest record, but they were pretty good.
03:50Yeah, they were good.
03:51I mean, they probably deserved in this kind of a world to be in a tournament.
03:55Do you know how many teams already made it from the SEC into the tournament?
03:59The field of 68 this year.
04:01I don't know, 11 or 12, I don't know.
04:02Or whatever.
04:0311 or 12 or something.
04:04I don't know.
04:0410.
04:05Yeah.
04:06Arkansas, Texas, Missouri, Florida, Vanderbilt, Texas A&M, Alabama,
04:10Tennessee, Kentucky, Georgia.
04:13And supposedly the driver is to add more of these teams?
04:18Yeah, I don't love it.
04:19It's insanity.
04:21I'm with you, Cakes.
04:22Why are we taking something that's borderline perfect and just trying to sabotage it?
04:28I don't understand.
04:30I mean, the 68, I questioned, too, the play-ins.
04:34Because you're not even playing at a tournament site.
04:37You're playing at a play-in site.
04:39You're playing in Dayton.
04:40Now, it helps teams like the Howards of the world.
04:45Right.
04:46But Howard doesn't play in the main bracket because of the lack of strength of their conference.
04:52They have to play in the play-in.
04:55You know, you've got to beat another 16 seed to get into an actual tournament site.
04:59But now you're adding all these other teams to the play-in site?
05:04I don't like it.
05:04I don't really get into those four games.
05:07We're just accepting the, it's like Christmas creep.
05:11Like, you start seeing Christmas decorations in stores in, like, late August before it's
05:16even, like, Halloween.
05:17Like, what are we doing?
05:19Yeah.
05:19But eventually we're going to say, okay, 76 is fine.
05:21And then two years later, they're going to say, you know what?
05:2476 isn't enough.
05:25We're going to have 100 teams in the NCAA tournament.
05:29When are we going to draw a line and say enough is enough?
05:31You have to draw a line at some point.
05:32Now, when they've expanded the NFL playoffs by a team, when they expanded the Major League
05:41Baseball playoffs, at first, you know, traditionalists are like, well, I don't like that.
05:47And then eventually you get used to it.
05:49I think I'll just probably ignore, like, I kind of ignore the first four.
05:52I'll probably just ignore it.
05:54Yeah.
05:54And then when it gets to 64 on Thursday, then I'm in there.
05:58Except if your alma mater gets in as one of the, you know, whatever, first 12 or whatever,
06:04you'll be into it.
06:05I don't know.
06:07Adds an extra round, essentially, ish, sort of.
06:10I don't hate it.
06:11At least early on, it seems like the whole NIL slash transfer portal stuff has just benefited
06:17the big programs more than anybody.
06:19So the big programs, they're the ones that are in the final four.
06:23Or, there's less, didn't we say that Cinderella is dead now?
06:27It feels that way.
06:28Well, I mean, they've got the money to pay the kids.
06:30Yeah.
06:32But you've got more teams that have a dream.
06:35More teams that have a chance at the dream, you know?
06:38I don't know.
06:38I think it's cool.
06:40I don't hate it.
06:42But were you really into the Florida Atlantic making the final four?
06:46No, of course not.
06:47But if my team is one of those.
06:49Sure.
06:50Then, you know, I just think it gives kids another shot at the dream.
06:55You know, compete for a national championship.
06:57Say you got to make it to the NCAA tournament.
07:00Maybe it makes it not quite as special for some because it's now 76 instead of 68.
07:07But I don't think it's that large of a change.
07:10How many?
07:10But they're not even.
07:11You're actually penalizing these kids because they're not even really making the tournament.
07:14All the 16 seeds will play in the playing round.
07:17Every single one of them.
07:18Yeah, but it's still kind of like the tournament.
07:20As far as I'm concerned, that's the tournament.
07:21No, it's not.
07:22You're not playing a number one seed.
07:24You're not living out your dream.
07:25You're not Long Island playing Duke.
07:27You're playing Niagara.
07:29You have a chance.
07:31You've got to beat that team.
07:32I would consider it being in the tournament.
07:35So you think NC State, for example, or UMBC, they're in the tournament this year?
07:40UMBC played Howard.
07:41They're in the playing game.
07:43Yeah.
07:43NC State lost to Texas.
07:45If you're in the playing game, I would consider it being in the tournament.
07:48Me, personally.
07:48But nobody else cares.
07:51That's the thing.
07:51I don't care if you care.
07:53Are you for the expansion, Drab?
07:55No, it's awful.
07:56I'm not either.
07:57Less is more sometimes.
07:58Like, if you just said right now, and I guess I've gotten used to these playing games in the NBA
08:06playoffs.
08:07But if you said right now, all of those teams, instead of playing games, they're just in.
08:12We're going to have 10 teams.
08:13Yeah.
08:13That's too much.
08:15That's a lot.
08:16I know a lot of people don't like the expansion.
08:18I get it.
08:18Listen, if you're, whatever, UMBC, and you've got a chance.
08:22You've got to win, but you've got a chance to advance to the full tournament.
08:27What's the problem?
08:28It's fun.
08:29More fun.
08:30It gives them a chance at the dream.
08:321-800-636-106-7 if you're going to chime in.
08:35I don't see what the big downside is.
08:37It's just a lute.
08:38I wouldn't have a problem with that either.
08:40Are you kidding?
08:40We can't take you seriously.
08:41I wouldn't.
08:41No, I wouldn't because the best teams are going to win.
08:44So, you know, it's a chance at the dream.
08:46Siena was beating Duke in the second half in March.
08:50Yep.
08:50That could be taken away from you.
08:52Siena could have lost to a 16 seed and just never had the chance.
08:55And the way they're seeding these things, it's a bunch of crap.
08:58Like, you're playing 13 seeds against each other.
09:00None of that even makes any sense.
09:01They're not doing it for the players, Eric.
09:03They're not doing it so Coop can have one more shot at the tournament.
09:06They're doing it to stuff their pockets.
09:08They don't care about the players.
09:10It always comes down to that.
09:11Nobody cares about the players.
09:14Nobody cares about the people.
09:15That's a given.
09:16That's understood.
09:17I'm just saying if I was a player or if I was a fan of this team, I would like
09:22the opportunity
09:23to have my postseason play, you know, continue.
09:26I would like it.
09:28So, I'm just, I could be one in a million.
09:31If everyone hates it, that's fine.
09:32So, eight other, eight extra fan bases.
09:35Doesn't really bother me.
09:36Get excited about it.
09:37Yeah.
09:38And if you win, then you've got the chance of the dream.
09:40The dream continues.
09:41Yeah.
09:41I mean, look, when Howard beat UMBC, we were excited just because we know the coaches since
09:46local schools, D.C.
09:47Yeah.
09:48But if that was UMBC playing, you know, another 16th seed, obviously we don't care.
09:53It's turning the tournament into a farce.
09:55Well, yeah.
09:56It's turning it into a high comment, in my opinion.
09:58And Selection Sunday used to be special.
10:00Yeah.
10:00Like, you would watch the announcement and there were teams that were on the bubble that were
10:06good teams that wouldn't make it.
10:09You just added a bunch of teams.
10:11Like, now the teams that are on the bubble are probably, as Jason said, teams that are
10:16sub-500.
10:17Definitely in their conference.
10:18That's why it should be more of the mid-major stuff.
10:20Well, they should have a rule that you have to be above 500 to get in.
10:25Have a winning record.
10:26I think that problem is if you win your conference tournament, you could be a losing record.
10:28No, no.
10:29No, he means in the conference.
10:30We're talking about at-larges.
10:31Right.
10:31Like, if you're an SEC team in your conference, maybe you'd be above 500.
10:36No, no.
10:36I'm saying the at-large teams, the added teams, they've got to be above 500.
10:40I wouldn't hate that.
10:41And that would give the mid-majors more of a chance.
10:43At-large teams, or automatic qualifiers, you have no idea.
10:45I mean, they're in.
10:47Mm-hmm.
10:47I mean, but the at-large teams, yeah, I think they have to be better than 500.
10:51I have actually advocated in years past just let them all in in, like, a big postseason
10:56tournament.
10:57Why don't they do that in the NFL, then?
11:00Well, why have the regular season?
11:01If you're going to let every team in the tournament, why do you even play the regular season?
11:05That makes no sense.
11:06Well, I mean, I don't know.
11:07The best teams will survive.
11:08Well, I'm sure it's also, it's not a competitive advantage.
11:10If you're stuffing all these 13 and 16 seeds to play each other, then you have to go fly
11:14the next day to the location to go play the number one seed.
11:17No, it's not good.
11:18I mean, Howard had to do that.
11:19I know.
11:19Howard had to play Tuesday in Dayton.
11:21Yeah, but you're lucky to be in it.
11:22Then they had to go to play Michigan in Buffalo.
11:24Well, not if you're a 13.
11:25If you're a 13 seed, I don't necessarily think that.
11:28If I'm a 13 seed, if I'm a head coach of a 13 seed, I don't feel lucky to be
11:33in the
11:33tournament.
11:34Okay.
11:35I feel like I earned my way to the tournament.
11:36You're going to let Maryland in this tournament after the season they just had?
11:40Not this year, maybe.
11:41No, no, no, no.
11:42Not this year, maybe.
11:43But if we were a bubble team.
11:44No, but if we let every team in.
11:46If we had bubble teams and not gotten in, I would have appreciated it.
11:49I wouldn't feel lucky if I earned my way into the tournament legitimately and I should be
11:54playing the number one seed or if I should be playing the number four seed and all of
11:57a sudden it's two 13s against each other or two 16s against each other, I'm not just
12:01lucky to be in the tournament.
12:03I feel like my opportunity of being on a big stage is robbed from me.
12:08I don't know.
12:09I think if you're, I don't know.
12:11I just like, I don't mind the idea of it.
12:13I hear your argument.
12:14That's okay.
12:15I like the idea of the extra teams.
12:18Another shot at the dream.
12:19Well, you got it starting this year.
12:21Doesn't bother me.
12:22Got eight more.
12:22Well, hopefully Maryland won't need extra teams to get in next year.
12:26Unless the team I care about is in it.
12:28I won't really pay attention.
12:29I know.
12:30As of April 15th, according to a couple sources, I think like 24-7 sports, they have the number
12:38one incoming class.
12:40Maryland?
12:41Let me see.
12:41How many portal kids do they get?
12:43Five or six?
12:44I know they got the DJ Wagner kid.
12:46They got a game, Tomislav Bulljohn from New Mexico, Bishop Boswell from Tennessee, Robert
12:52Jennings from Oak State.
12:56Yeah, they've got, I'm counting one, two, three, four, five, six at portal kids.
13:04I guess the highest rated one was the DJ Wagner kid from Arkansas.
13:08And they've had a few transfer.
13:09I just read about one the other day.
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