This week's edition of Friday Farewells is brought to you by the Big Dance (just don't tell them).
This week we must say our so long to so many so let's get to it.
Farewell:
33 Teams. Over one half of the 65 tams in the NCAA Tournament will be finished at the close of today (depending on your time zone). We are glad they came and thrilled at their effort sadly they are one and done. If only there was some way they could still be playing like a Consolation Bracket. Too many tears to count, but the Buzzer Beaters that sent some of them home were pretty awesome.
Winthrop. After losing to Arkansas Pine Bluff your trip to the Big Dance was over before the music really ever began. Ahh the joy of playing in the play in game, a game that CBS won't even show. Gone is your chance to go .500 in the tourney oh well misery loves company and 31 more will join you as one and done.
Big BEast. The Big East was regarded as the Big BEast for most of the year yet in tourney time they have quickly been renamed to the conference formerly known as the Big BEast or the Big LEast whichever you prefer. Always sad to lose a catchy nickname that required little to no creativity, but our sorrow is brightened by an equally lame nickname.
Mike Bellotti. Oregon's Athletic Director, resigned today and will join ESPN as an analyst. Maybe the prison visits to Duck football players were becoming too much. One year as an AD we still think of him as Coach.
Boring Opening Day. Last years snooze fest is over as yesterday provided one of the best in recent memory with upsets, overtimes, and buzzer beaters. No sorrow for this departure! YAHOOOOOOO!
Perfect Bracket. Like the fountain of youth always alluding me perfection left my bracket as Vanderbilt was making their departure. Thanks a lot Murray State. Why...Why...WHY...!
Missed Last Weeks Farewells get them here...
Showing posts with label Cosolation Bracket. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Cosolation Bracket. Show all posts
Friday, March 19, 2010
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
CONSOLE THIS!
Is anyone ever consoled by winning the consolation bracket?
If you look up consolation in the thesaurus, you will quickly find words like comfort, solace, relief etc. Congratulations after playing one bad game and then winning three straight we will name you the winner, no not of the tournament, but of the Bracket of Solace. Consolation bracket, ever present in high school state championships has to be the stupidest thing in sports. Either send the losers home or give them a chance to come back, but don’t keep them playing for a place that no one can define.
The reason the double elimination tournament is frowned upon is the anti-climatic championship it presents with one team having to beat the other twice. Then follow what the pattern used by the most successful tournament in sports, NCAA Basketball, and do a single elimination tournament. Instead of inviting 8 teams to state tournaments bring 16. Not only will it double the revenue generated by the host city, but it will double the use of the popular cheer “We’re going to state, We’re going to state”. Priceless. Rather than having the 4th place or is it 5th place team (we may never know what place consolation truly is) being required to lose their first game, let’s console the teams on the way home with a trip to Wendy’s for a frosty and let the teams that need cheering and not consoling have the spotlight and the trophies.
If you look up consolation in the thesaurus, you will quickly find words like comfort, solace, relief etc. Congratulations after playing one bad game and then winning three straight we will name you the winner, no not of the tournament, but of the Bracket of Solace. Consolation bracket, ever present in high school state championships has to be the stupidest thing in sports. Either send the losers home or give them a chance to come back, but don’t keep them playing for a place that no one can define.
Once a year, Idaho and countless other states dust off 90 year old brackets that look like this to inflict their archaic ways and foolish mistakes on future generations.
Not only is this unfair to the team to go 3-1 in a tournament and get consoled for doing it, but it is incredibly unfair for the team that wins its first game and then goes home after the second. The consolation news for them is on the bus ride home they can listen to the team that they beat still playing. Does this make any sense to anyone? Especially in a varsity high school state championship this system is ludicrous. Young men and women should, at least by the age of 16-18, have learned how to deal with playing one game and going home. If this is too harsh then make the tournament double elimination and let the team that lost the first game as well as the team that won still have a chance at the championship.
The reason the double elimination tournament is frowned upon is the anti-climatic championship it presents with one team having to beat the other twice. Then follow what the pattern used by the most successful tournament in sports, NCAA Basketball, and do a single elimination tournament. Instead of inviting 8 teams to state tournaments bring 16. Not only will it double the revenue generated by the host city, but it will double the use of the popular cheer “We’re going to state, We’re going to state”. Priceless. Rather than having the 4th place or is it 5th place team (we may never know what place consolation truly is) being required to lose their first game, let’s console the teams on the way home with a trip to Wendy’s for a frosty and let the teams that need cheering and not consoling have the spotlight and the trophies.
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