CALLING YOU OUT! - THE MOST ANNOYING EVENT IN SPORTS

by WCT, The Ship of Fools

“Calling You Out!” is a periodic segment where WCT takes people to task for irresponsible journalism, foolhardy activities, or just general douchebaggery. Nothing is sacred, no one is spared, watch your ass mister! You could be next!

Its tired, I know. Everyone complains about it. I personally blog about this every single year (well, now EACH of the two years that I have been blogging, but you get the idea) and I will continue to blog about it until someone does something to change the sad state of affairs that exists.

It has become, in my opinion, the most annoying thing in sports, and takes away from the best sporting event on the American calendar. One day, when I become rich enough, or famous enough, or powerful enough, I promise that I will do something about it. But until that day comes, my only weapon is my little space here in the blogosphere, and I am going to use it as a one-man crusade to do away with the monstrosity that is… the F-ing Play-in Game.

Every year, on Selection Sunday two teams who have earned automatic bids, are dealt the ultimate punch in the stomach by the NCAA Tournament selection committee, when they are told that they actually have to win one more game to gain entry into the Tournament. This year, those unlucky teams are Coppin State and Mount Saint Mary’s.

We ask the same questions every single year: Why should automatic qualifiers be forced to play in this game? Why does someone who was celebrating what they thought was a dream come true after winning their conference, now have to play another game to get in? Why not put the last two at-large teams in this game? Coppin State and MSM are pissed to have to play in the play-in game, but somebody like Arizona State, or Virginia Commonwealth would be thrilled to have a shot to earn their way into the tourney on the court on Tuesday.

And above all, why the hell is this game played in Dayton of all places? Don't get me wrong, I have nothing against Dayton, but isn't it a little random to play the play-in game there every year?

Granted, my argument loses some of its starch when you consider that Coppin State has 20 losses, but they were able to win the MEAC Tournament (should they have made that tournament? Another argument for another day) and therefore "earned" the right to play in the Tournament. The same cannot be said for the 34 at-large teams.

While idiots like Bob Knight advocate for more expansion of the Tournament (last night he went on ESPN and said they should expand the field to 128. My head almost exploded when I heard that) the biggest problem of the NCAA postseason remains unsolved.