In an earlier blog I mentioned how sports played a big part of my life. Well, this time of year is one of my favorite times of the year. Not only is the weather changing for the better but it is time for March Madness. I love the NCAA tournament and even before the tournament we get to witness great conference tournament games. It is a time of year when every fan, young or old, can appreciate great basketball. The five - twelve seed upset, the Cinderella stories, Mid Majors knocking off Goliaths and basketball games all day, everyday is something that everyone can enjoy. Arguably the best time of year for all of sports. I often hear people ask the question, “If you could only watch one or the other, the Superbowl or the entire NCAA Tournament, what would it be?” For me the answer is simple, the NCAA Tournament. Not that I am a bigger fan of basketball, because in reality I like football more, but the tournament is something different entirely.
Last year one team near and dear to my heart, Syracuse Orangeman of Syracuse New York, had only one chance to make it to the dance, win their conference tournament. This doesn’t sound like a tough task at hand but their conference; the Big East is one of the best, if not the best conference in the nation. Syracuse did pull off the upset, becoming the highest seed to ever win the Big East Tournament at number 9. They also became the only team to ever win the tournament by wining four games in a row, each in heroic fashion. However the momentum gained after wining the tournament did not carry over to the big dance as they were bumped out early on. None the less it was a great run.
So why do I bring this up. Every year when college basketball crowns their national champion there is no doubt about who it should be. Sixty-five teams get their crack at the crown, whereas in college football, every year there is some controversy over the championship. College football should adapt a similar tournament to crown their champion. Not that they should have a sixty-five team field, but at least a plus one system, that would allow the winners of the two top bowl games play for the championship. All I am asking for is one extra game, one game! This wouldn’t fix the problem entirely but it sure would bring some validity to the current system.