Updated throughout the day with quick takes from staff.
The Opening Pitch: This year's NCAA Tournament is a dud. And you have to seriously question whether the entire event is in trouble. Here's the code, and you don't have to be Nicolas Cage in "Knowing" to crack it:
East: 1-2-3-4; South: 1-2-3-4; West: 1-2-3-5; Midwest: 1-2-3-12.
Those are the seeds of the teams that advanced from each region to the regionals. That nasty aftertaste in your mouth: Chalky, isn't it?
Sweet 16? More like Stale 16: 15 teams you would — based on seeding alone — expect to make it and only a single outlier (and not even a sexy mid-major, but a retread major program that is interesting only because it was the last at-large team to make the tournament field).
But the NCAA Tournament has been built on the unexpected, the underdog, the Cinderella. To be sure, the first two rounds have been a lot of fun, but with more near-miss upsets than actual upsets, the madness hasn't extended past the first weekend.
And that is terrible for the NCAA Tournament.
It started a year ago, when all four 1-seeds made the Final Four for the first time. It wasn't an intriguing aberration; apparently, it was ominous foreshadowing.
Let's hope the lack of parity throughout the 65-team field signals a lot more parity among the final 16. Otherwise, the NCAA Tournament risks a fate worse than parity:
Predictability.
Looking for a true shocker? Try the women's tournament: Two-time defending champ Tennessee suffered its first opening-round loss EVER. That's "E-V-E-R." The Lady Vols were not only 42-0 in the first two rounds of the tourney, but had never missed a Sweet 16 in 27 seasons.
Consider it one of the Top 3 most astonishing things to ever happen in the women's tournament bracket (up there with 1998's 16-seed Harvard over 1-seed Stanford).
It is an interesting contrast: If predictability is brutal for the men's NCAA Tournament, it is the opposite for the women; fans, particularly casual ones, WANT to see those powerhouse names — Tennessee, UConn, Duke, UNC, Maryland, Oklahoma, Stanford — as the bracket is whittled down.
Looking Ahead to the Men's Regional Semis: Well, let's make the best of it — based on the struggles that seemingly every survivor went through over the past four days, at least no team is guaranteed to advance. Or so we can hope.
Thursday
East: Pitt-Xavier; Duke-Villanova
Pitt doesn't LOOK like a regional champ.
West: UConn-Purdue; Memphis-Mizzou
Anyone But UConn vs. Anyone But Memphis?
Friday
Midwest: Lousville-Arizona; Michigan State-Kansas
Ugh: Arizona is our only Cinderella?
South: UNC-Gonzaga; Oklahoma-Syracuse
Most compelling regional, by far.
"How's Your Bracket?" That gaudy first-round record? Long-forgotten. Now it's all about how many Sweet 16 teams you have remaining; if your Final Four is still intact; and if you have anything that deviates from the 1-seed (+ Memphis) hegemony you will find on virtually every bracket.
From Friday morning through Saturday night, my own bracket busted. I made four big bets — three imploded before the weekend was over: (1) West Virginia to the Elite Eight; (2) UCLA over Villanova and ultimately to the Elite Eight; and (3) Texas over Duke. My bracket is now in ruins.
(It is little consolation to me that my bracket success through the first two rounds is the same as Barack Obama: We are both barely over the 50th percentile among typical bracket participants. If you used the National Bracket or picked entirely by higher seed, you'd be in the 80th percentile.)
More from around the sports world ...
— WBC: Another year, another disappointing finish for Team USA. Ousted from the tournament by Japan in the semis last night, USA's failure against the World is nearly as humiliating as it was in hoops.
(Unfortunately, due to the timing of the WBC, you will only see fewer American stars play in the WBC, not more. There was a commitment to USA Basketball's "Redeem Team" from the top — the NBA, the owners, the stars. You won't find that in baseball — and U.S. fans' interest in the event will erode even more.)
— NBA Instant History: Watch out for the Rockets. They took over first in the Southwest after beating the Spurs head-to-head. Is it possible Houston is better without T-Mac? (Hasn't that always been the speculation?)
— NFL: No changes to overtime system. Didn't this past Super Bowl come close enough to the dreaded "Coin-Flip Champion" that they see the OT system needs to be reformed before it impacts, say, the Super Bowl? What is the resistance here?
— NFL: Moving draft to February? Mistake. There seems to be a feeling that the NFL's strategy to make itself a year-round sport is stretching the league too thin; I'd argue it is one of the things that makes the league so strong. The current rhythm through the year is optimal.
More Draft: Sounds like the Lions have started to negotiate with the No. 1 overall pick. Or, perhaps, merely ONE of their choices for the No. 1 overall pick. For Lions' fans sake, I hope it's not Matthew Stafford. (Then again: Mark Sanchez would be even worse. How about this: Don't draft a quarterback at all.)
Speaking of Stafford, I will give him a ton of credit for one thing: He aced the Wonderlic with a 38.
— CFB: Weis-Watching. In the booth, on the field ... does it really matter where Charlie Weis "coaches" from?
— Scandal-watching: Oh, A-Rod, you're the gift that keeps on giving.
— New Media: Shaq used Twitter during halftime of Saturday's game, and his coach acted like an adult about it (rather than like Scott Skiles). Meanwhile, the Women's Pro Soccer League WANTS its players to tweet during halftime. Can't hold back technology, folks.
— Pop Culture: So when you watch endless amounts of the NCAA Tournament on TV, you see the same ads over and over. Some you love to see; some ... not so much. Best? Those Jordan ads with the fans lamenting March losses to Brand Jordan players. Creepiest? The Enterprise couple. ("Red or black? Both!" TMI.)
The Last Word: "Maybe we will go against each other in practice, I don't know. That would be fun, wouldn't it?" — LeBron James, talking about his rivalry with Dwyane Wade.
I love how LeBron is milking the 2010 think; it's totally disrespectful to Cavs fans, but for the rest of us, it's amusing.
Dan Shanoff writes The Wake-Up Call every weekday morning for SportingNews.com and blogs daily at DanShanoff.com. Got any comments, questions or feedback? Email Dan at shanofftsn-[at]-gmail-[dot]-com.
This post originally appeared on the Sporting Blog. For more, see The Sporting Blog Archives.
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You complain that the mid-majors are getting too much love, then turn around and lament that there are any "sexy" mid-majors left. There weren’t that many mid-majors that really had a chance, short of Western Kentucky losing a taut duel with Gonzaga. You want it both ways, get the sexy mid-majors in but only so far (heaven forbid another George Mason gets deep) while keeping the name teams in the mix for the Final Four. Quit your bellyachin’!
by blackbandit20 on Mar 23, 2009 10:21 AM EDT reply actions
So it’s the NCAA’s selection commitee’s fault that none of the lower seeds stepped up to be this years Cinderalla team? Most all of the teams that were expected to advance did just that, advance. No apologies are in order.
by rbdonovan on Mar 23, 2009 10:26 AM EDT reply actions
Sounds to me like Shanoff’s bracket is busted. Personally, I’m just sitting here and waiting for the sky to fall. Favorites actually performed as such for two years in a row?? Armageddon is afoot!!
by ChiAdam on Mar 23, 2009 10:30 AM EDT reply actions
The fact that so many lower seeds won just means that there will be better basketball from here on out. Sure it’s great to have a George Mason every now and then but I would much rather watch compelling and great basketball like Mizzou-Memphis and Oklahoma-Syracuse. The upsets never really came this year and as a result we are all treated to the best basketball teams competing for the title just like it should be.
by chinorthsidefan24 on Mar 23, 2009 11:23 AM EDT reply actions
First time that all the 1, 2, & 3 seeds made it to the Sweet 16.
I say, good job committee.
by J Bone A on Mar 23, 2009 11:36 AM EDT reply actions
I just love it when the 12 or 13 seeds win their first game against a 4 or 5 seed, then on the 2nd day they fall flat on their faces. When your an idiot like me and pick the wrong upsets, I could only sit and yell at the TV when those lower seeded teams get killed. (Dayton!!) There are some great match-ups in the Sweet 16. I can only hope they live up to the hype.
by jcurtis on Mar 23, 2009 12:40 PM EDT reply actions
Sounds like the majority of us aren’t too freaked out about the teams that were expected to win doing so for a change.
Granted it is happening in a season where we expected the top seeds to lose due to a lackluster regular season that saw Memphis as the only team to lose as few as 3 games. They’ve all been in at least a close half, if not a close game.
There were 2 games that the 16 seed had a legit shot at winning near the end of the game, when was the last time that happened?
Some people are only happy when they’re complaining I guess, good to see the comments of people who have found this year’s tournament as exciting as ever.
Many sports personalities were quoted as saying that Friday was perhaps one of the best tournament days in history.
Look at the big picture, and don’t just come bitter because the upset that might have saved your bracket some dignity didn’t happen. Spit out your sour grapes, and get over it.
by Jetleg on Mar 23, 2009 1:39 PM EDT reply actions
Not dissapointed at all. Two local teams- Mich and Mich St, made it. State is in the sweet 16. Belien is turning the Mich program around. One observation- "Stars" get the call in college just like in the pros. Some terrible calls in the Mich game. The Sienna games refs left a lot to be desired. And finally- to toot my own horn- I won tickets to the Final 4 on a radio show! Livin’ large.
by Kwame on Mar 23, 2009 5:37 PM EDT reply actions
I dont understand why this bozo can call the Tourney a dud. Perhaps he should say that this tourney "isnt for beginners" and all we have left is the BEST teams in the nation with a chance to settle it on the court to prove who is truly the best for 08-09.
So when #1 Uconn plays #2 Memphis thats gonna be boring ?(and a dud) ?
and when #3 Villanova plays #2 Duke.. no one will watch huh ?
This kind of NCAA tourney is EXACTLY the kind i like best. When the best teams remain to play the other top teams. And no one gets a "free pass" to the final four.
Do i care that my bracket upsets havent come through ? not really. What im left with is GOOD BASKETBALL.
by Zenmanship on Mar 24, 2009 1:00 AM EDT reply actions
it’s a myth that "we" want george mason’s every year. truth is "we" don’t. a daddy tournament packing all the heat is gonna get the ratings.
by Steeler4LifeSC on Mar 24, 2009 7:46 AM EDT reply actions
I understand the argument concerning "no cinderellas" – Arizona is hardly a cinderella – because sports writers love those stories. However, the quality of basketball will be better as a result of higher seeds advancing. NCAA hoops fans will tune in by the millions to watch some enticing matchups, more than making up for the half-hearted bunch that will not tune in because of a lack of cinderella stories.
by J Bone A on Mar 24, 2009 10:08 AM EDT reply actions
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