Well, here's your new NCAA tournament format

[TheAsianSensation]

TAS - as you suggest, it could cause problems with bracketing based on matchups with same conferences and the like.

From the article, it says "This is the first time the last four at-large teams will be revealed publicly. Traditionally, the at-large teams are scattered throughout the seeding process, rarely going past No. 12, making it relatively easy to identify them. Yet the committee now will formally announce the last at-large teams by putting them in the first round."

I think the "last 4" won't be openly declared THE last 4 since there might be seed movement due to matchup problems. This is where they'll move teams up or down a line.... and I think it'll screw the mid-majors over more than the BCS teams.

I disagree. Based on bracketing procedures, you have to select the 68 teams and rank them 1-68 first. Off that ranking, you're forced to put the last 4 at-large teams against each other, regardless of any bracket proceduring. The rest of the bracket has to adjust to them, not the other way around.

The way it'll screw the mid majors is that they'll be moved around most often for accomidation. Now, that moving around could be GOOD for their chances or bad. It may not be a bad thing to be moved around. The overall effect is neutral, then.

[MacabreMob]

I disagree. Based on bracketing procedures, you have to select the 68 teams and rank them 1-68 first. Off that ranking, you're forced to put the last 4 at-large teams against each other, regardless of any bracket proceduring. The rest of the bracket has to adjust to them, not the other way around.

The way it'll screw the mid majors is that they'll be moved around most often for accomidation. Now, that moving around could be GOOD for their chances or bad. It may not be a bad thing to be moved around. The overall effect is neutral, then.

Well, you might be right TAS. I'm sorry for thinking negatively but I lean to the negative side on this cause I just can't see the NCAA doing "the right thing" (based on my opinion). Or maybe it's just the macabre thing for me to do.

But let's just say for example last season... a scenario of URI/Seton Hall playing to become a 13 seed and face Maryland and UTEP/Miss St playing to become a 12 seed and face Temple. Everything's fine. But... let's say Illinois is one of those "play-in" teams instead. They couldn't fit in either one of those games cause 2nd round matchups had B10 teams (Wisky and Purdue were 4's last year and Mich St was a 5). So they could be slotted into a game against the #5 Butler which has Vandy and Murray St in the 2nd round. Oh but wait... Illinois had already played Vandy earlier in the year. So.... might be easiest just to move Illinois up a line (or two) and take ODU's spot against Notre Dame (2nd round matchup vs Baylor/Sam Houston... so it fits). Knock ODU down into a "play-in" spot and has no matchup problems in potential 2nd round opponents like Illinois did. So there you go... the mid-major gets the shaft due to scheduling conflicts inside the bracket and it benefits the BCS team. Nice. (and I suppose I didn't have to pick ODU... but it did fit for my argument - bottom line is, you see my point, right?)

[TheAsianSensation]

I see the point, but the move you described is illegal based on their rules as I interpret them. As in you have to leave those 4 play in teams in that play in game and adjust around them. And if there's anything the NCAA is good at, it's good at being inflexible in its rules.

I would predict we'd see ODU as a 12 seed avoiding the play-in games and seeing UI/whoever play in as an 11 seed in the play-in game, in that scenario.

I'm going to have to sit down and do a preseason bracketology and see what the structure looks like. May get messy like this.

p.s. It may be an advantage for the mid-major to be in the game. One extra potential game means one extra unit. And more $$$$$$$$.

[MDCowboy]

Sadly I think MMOB is on track with this one. I see the committee ignoring their bracketing rules and they would just come out and say that these are the last 4 teams in. I predict there will be atleast one game of 2 midmajors playing each other, and some BCS teams getting a nice slotted 10 seed to protect their "bracketing rules". And the reality is we will never know as they will make the committee say that these were the last 4 teams in and they are the ones playing. They will never come out and say they moved a BCS team up a line, which I think they obviously do. There was no reason why UNI was in the 8/9 game this year, except that it is very convenient for them to have them play a team from the Mtn West while BCS teams are moved up to to the 6 or 7 seed line where a team like UNI should have been.

[TheAsianSensation]

Oh for God's sake.

It's been mathematically proven it's impossible to rig a bracket against mid-majors even if that was your intent. Even if you're dead-set on the idea that the committee wants to screw mid majors, it's mathematically impossible to do so.