Not sure where you stand about the Big East tournament, but personally, I'd like to see a scaled back version. While there is a benefit to finishing higher in the conference during the regular season via a bye or double bye, I simply don't see the need to include all 16 teams. Sorry, but if you go winless in conference play, you don't belong in any discussion for the postseason.
That said, mine isn't a popular position among the coaches. And with TCU coming in, Jim Boeheim and apparently others, want to make sure all 17 teams get to play in Madison Square Garden.
Boeheim's argument stems from the fact that teams have won the tournament without a bye. UConn did it last year and Pitt and Syracuse also did it in recent memory:
"We're going to make a strong push as coaches to bring all 17 teams to New York," Boeheim said Thursday. "Connecticut proved you can win five games. We've won four games. It's very doable."
Sure, it's possible and as those teams have proven, not even all that out of the ordinary. But those teams were still fairly high seeds. Syracuse and UConn were the lowest seed to win - both were No. 9 seeds.
So that begs the obvious question - why not go with the top 12 teams. In a nutshell, it makes too much sense. No, seriously, I'm sure money is a big factor in this ... like it is in everything else. More games, means more contests on TV, more ticket sales, more coverage ... more bad basketball.
Boeheim added:
"Every team deserves, every player deserves, to play in the league tournament, and that can be worked out. And I'm fairly confident that will be worked out."
And why is that? What is this, Jim, Little League where everyone gets a hit? Seriously, why did DePaul who was 1-17 in league play deserve to play in the postseason? So now we're worried about leaving a team that managed to win a single conference game out? What a joke.
It's also important to note that Boeheim obviously isn't alone. If he was the only coach who felt that way, the rules would have been changed by now. But since he's featured in the story, I'm picking on him.
Postseason play is a privilege, not a right...just ask the Pittsburgh Pirates.