Welcome to new world of college athletics, Blue Hairs

by **Mitch McConnell** » Fri Mar 11, 2011 9:58 pm

I'm going to take a crack at this but I think it's pretty close.

Most of the negative reaction (mrydel not included because apparently he seems to get it) to the CIT invitation is being sounded off by those who birth years preceeded 1960.

I understand tradition about a small number of bowl games -- maybe 15-18 -- and a NCAA basketball tournament that was 48 teams and a NIT tournament that 16 teams.

I understand that the postseason is reserved for those who truly deserve and worked to be there.

I'm all for tradition.

BUT THOSE DAYS ARE OVER!!

With the proliferation of the TV, satellite, and people who can find a way to make $$$$, there's going to be a market. There's going to be a chance to make a profit. And there's going to be more, more and more.

Why do you think the NCAA tournament added 4 more teams to the tournament this year? Well, the committee said it's a chance to get those bubble teams a chance to play their way into the Thursday-Friday games.

Ok, sounds good. But funny how that new brokered TV deal with TBS is getting started this year. So why wait for Thursday to get the tournament started? Get it going Tuesday. More ratings and the new ad rates are pretty nice too.

Heck the NCAA expanded the baseball field from 48 teams to 64 and added the super regionals about 8 years ago. Now, you're seeing those games on TV too.

Teams that probably shouldn't be in the postseason are going. And that's the way it is.

This is a new world of college athletics we're in. This isn't any startling revelation.

If you want to poor mouth SMU playing in a bowl game that you think isn't worthy of your respect or in a basketball tournament thats seems seedy, then save yourself the aggravation and just ignore it or don't go.

With attitudes like yours, less is more!

by **mrydel** » Fri Mar 11, 2011 10:05 pm

I am offcially a "blue hair". Did not know when the change actually occurs but now I is one!!!! As we speak I am going into the garage to set my blinker on left turn and break it off.

by **One Trick Pony** » Fri Mar 11, 2011 10:40 pm

I'm glad I took the Evelin Wood speed reading corse.

11 paragraph posts does anyone read that [deleted]? Shorter is better

by **couch 'em** » Fri Mar 11, 2011 10:48 pm

One Trick Pony wrote:I'm glad I took the Evelin Wood speed reading corse.

11 paragraph posts does anyone read that [deleted]? Shorter is better

I try to avoid reading anything by (the former) Patton. Let me guess at the summary: Blah blah blah! You are all wrong! Long winded grandiose pontification! Smug broad generalization about everyone else! Blah blah blah!

Patton should be a preacher or a liberal arts professor.

by **Mitch McConnell** » Fri Mar 11, 2011 10:49 pm

One Trick Pony wrote:I'm glad I took the Evelin Wood speed reading corse.

11 paragraph posts does anyone read that [deleted]? Shorter is better

True. And with all due respect, try using a spell check before you post.

by **Mexmustang** » Fri Mar 11, 2011 11:26 pm

Prove that we will make any money off this 3rd tier tournament before you lecture us...

by **Thumper** » Sat Mar 12, 2011 12:31 am

That's your motivation for going to games? Only if SMU makes money?
I'm guessing you don't go to football games either, then. With precious few exceptions (big-school football and a few basketball schools), college athletics lose money. But the benefits for the university, not to mention the students themselves, are why games are played.

by **Samurai Stang** » Sat Mar 12, 2011 12:42 am

Mexmustang wrote:Prove that we will make any money off this 3rd tier tournament before you lecture us...

SMU will not make money off of competing in the CIT. The CIT is a tournament that schools literally purchase their way into.

The reason the CIT exists is not because any real amount of money is being made off of television; that market is more than saturated already with the NCAA and NIT. No, the CIT exists because schools are willing to buy their way in, which makes money for the tournament directors.

One must admit, the CIT is an honest tournament, upfront in that it admits to having no integrity.

by **Treadway21** » Sat Mar 12, 2011 1:29 am

Go back to the football page and do your smug shtick over there.

by **One Trick Pony** » Sat Mar 12, 2011 1:41 am

True. And with all due respect, try using a spell check before you post.[/quote]

I'll spell better if you'll post shorter.

by **EastStang** » Mon Mar 14, 2011 8:11 am

First, we are at least in the 3rd tier tourney and not the 4th tier tourney. Second, we actually made a post season tourney. This is also called rope. Doh now has more pressure on him than ever before. He now has had a postseason team. He needs to take next year's team to at least the NIT (given his scheduling preferences and a young team - I can't expect a trip to the dance unless we win the CUSA tourney - see Alabama, Colorado and Virginia Tech). A trip again to the CIT would mean that the team has not progressed (unless this year we are 1 and done and next year win the CIT). So, Doh has to produce a solid winning team with a top 4 finish in CUSA to get to the NIT. The way I see it, this may cost us some money, but it allows Doh to show that we are committed to a good basketball program, we have been to a postseason tournament, and we are a great place to go to school. So, if we lose a few dollars on this so what.