Hours after it was introduced that the School Soccer Playoff would undertake a 5+7 format, the convention commissioners leaked that 14- and 16-team formats have been discussed. Jim Phillips, ACC commissioner and captain of a drowning vessel, mentioned “At the end of the day, it’s about the right model.” That mannequin, in fact, is aggressive growth till there are the 32 playoff groups of Christmas.
I’m frankly too cynical to attempt to think about a catchy nickname for this eventuality, so I’ll simply cede it to the sponsors. There hasn’t been a single run-through of the 12-team format, and already convention heads are counting the subsequent payday.
“We talked about some formatting and 14 (teams) came up,” Large Ten commissioner Tony Petitti mentioned. “We’ve got more work to do.”
Extra work to do? Are the money machines even operable after counting the TV contract cash? The SEC and Large Ten know they stand to have much more multi-loss contributors after this spherical of realignment and are simply prepping followers for the chaos of enjoying NFL-caliber schedules.
The NCAA is rarely going to inhibit the expansion of its golden geese, and the potential of a monthlong playoff across the holidays is so, so tempting. Progress additionally retains the NCAA from lawsuits about snubs, restrictions, and all the opposite random criticism that, frankly, it ought to face.
Extra money will turn out to be useful when the gamers lastly get a revenue-sharing deal — so possibly it’s a superb factor?
Let’s be trustworthy, the way in which faculties spend cash is ridiculously irresponsible, and in the event that they needed to foot the invoice for one more couple hundred workers, would possibly want a money injection like all of those different poorly run skilled sports activities franchises. Can hedge funds purchase state property? Let’s hope the Saudis can’t.
Following convention championship weekend this yr, there have been six three-loss Energy 5 packages for spots 13-16. Two of these colleges have been Iowa and NC State, who couldn’t rating greater than 20 factors in opposition to some FCS groups. Nobody is asking for this, nor are any semi-conscious followers touring to 4 consecutive vacation spot holidays.
And in case you’re questioning, sure, I will likely be intently watching each playoff sport as a result of that’s all any good U.S. citizen can do. However earlier than I sit all the way down to get pleasure from this veritable early March Insanity, I wish to go on file as saying company America, the NCAA, and convention commissioners are all a bunch of grasping sociopaths marching society to its destruction.
Auston Matthews, nonetheless en fuego
Toronto Maple Leaf Auston Matthews scored his fiftieth objective of the season Wednesday in 54 video games, turning into the fastest player to that mark in a single season since Mario Lemieux deposited 50 objectives in as many outings to start out the 1995-96 marketing campaign.
I don’t know a lot about hockey, however I’m filling in for somebody who does, so, you’re welcome, Sam.
