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I was browsing Jay's most recent chat wrap on ESPN.com. Here is an interesting response to a question:
mike. rhode island: Jay...you've been hating on the mid majors lately...now that all these "bcs" bubble teams are losing rhode island has to be in the mix for an at large spot if they can win there next 2 or 3 games right?
Jay Bilas: I took this question to refute the notion that I "hate" on mid-majors. I do not. I go by which teams I think are best. If you think that mid-majors are underrepresented in the NCAA Tournament, you are mistaken. Almost forty percent of the field are mid-majors, and mids get more than fair treatment. I can tell you that my solution would be rather simple....I would do away with the automatic bid and select the 64 best teams. We would have more mid-majors that could really play, and we would have a very balanced and competitive tournament. In my system, Rhody would get in, and so would Tulsa, Creighton, Siena and Western Kentucky. We would not be leaving out really good Mid-Majors in favor of the SWAC, MEAC, or Southland winners. And, please don't give me the "kill the dreams" of those automatic winners. Why should Rhody's dreams take a back seat to theirs? Rhody will be in the discussion, but the Rams have not beaten enough really good teams to feel comfortable. I would suggest winning more games and at least reaching the A-10 final.
I have to admit he's probably right concerning the balance and competitive nature of the tournament if the NCAA ever went this route. However, I'd still question how many mid-majors would actually be picked under this system, but maybe a UNI, Temple and St Mary's would have a better shot this way.
Of course the Tennessee-Martin's, Cornell's and Oral Roberts' of the world would probably be SOL!
mike. rhode island: Jay...you've been hating on the mid majors lately...now that all these "bcs" bubble teams are losing rhode island has to be in the mix for an at large spot if they can win there next 2 or 3 games right?
Jay Bilas: I took this question to refute the notion that I "hate" on mid-majors. I do not. I go by which teams I think are best. If you think that mid-majors are underrepresented in the NCAA Tournament, you are mistaken. Almost forty percent of the field are mid-majors, and mids get more than fair treatment. I can tell you that my solution would be rather simple....I would do away with the automatic bid and select the 64 best teams. We would have more mid-majors that could really play, and we would have a very balanced and competitive tournament. In my system, Rhody would get in, and so would Tulsa, Creighton, Siena and Western Kentucky. We would not be leaving out really good Mid-Majors in favor of the SWAC, MEAC, or Southland winners. And, please don't give me the "kill the dreams" of those automatic winners. Why should Rhody's dreams take a back seat to theirs? Rhody will be in the discussion, but the Rams have not beaten enough really good teams to feel comfortable. I would suggest winning more games and at least reaching the A-10 final.
I have to admit he's probably right concerning the balance and competitive nature of the tournament if the NCAA ever went this route. However, I'd still question how many mid-majors would actually be picked under this system, but maybe a UNI, Temple and St Mary's would have a better shot this way.
Of course the Tennessee-Martin's, Cornell's and Oral Roberts' of the world would probably be SOL!
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