DISASTER IN FAYETTEVILLE AND HONKED IN AUGUSTA--RAZORPIGGIE VACANCY: THE MASTERS FRANK DIDN'T ATTEND

We have actually located a guy who would rather live in Omaha than Fayetteville. He'd rather be a Blue Jay than a Razorback.

Never a good idea to annoy Frank Broyles.

Let's start a petition drive: Steve Hawkins to coach at Arkansas! It's a natural.

Still, I'll bet Broyles is really honked he had to fly home to find a basketball coach. It's only Augusta National, after all.

If you don't get any of this, don't worry. Either you will never care or it will become clear.

JOY AND THE SELF ONE SEED BLUES

Happened to be in KCMO in a public place as Jayhawks got eliminated. Never seen such joy! Thought I was the only Self/KU roundball anti-fan. Wow, did I have hundreds of new friends, or what?

BRACKET RACKET: ONE GOAL

For those of you who have been reading the various iterations of this blog for a few Springs, you know that I annually enter a certain underground bracket contest. I do so with one goal: beat the champion emeritus.

She knows who she is. Nipped her at the wire last year. Not feeling too good about this year. Went by her office the other day and she had an what looked suspiciously like an RPI/Sagarin Spreadsheet up on her screen. It was the green eyeshade, though, that was the dead giveaway. I am so toast!

Well, last year was nice.

LET'S GIVE THE COMMITTEE AND THE MID-MAJORS BREAK: GROW THE DANCE

While I'm thrilled the Illini and the Piggies got in, K-State, Syracuse, Drexel and Missouri State made some compelling cases. More distressing is that only six mid-majors got in. Mid-majors are who makes the whole thing fun.

Let's do the easy part first. TV will be happy to pay for expansion, so cost is not an issue.

The first, easy move is to take the basic 64 with a play down (65) to sixty-four with four play downs (68). That would have addressed three of the the above non-invitees.

There are problems. Any number other than 128 results in play downs. That wasn't a problem when the tourney went from 32 to 48 back in the 80's. By analogy, they could take 64 to 96 and have 16 playdown games. Great Television, super revenue and still enough teams to stage an NIT (not that it matters). The decision to go to 128 can deferred until there is at least a five year laboratory for 96. Gut hunch tells me 96 will be enough.

Why does this matter now. First, undeniably, Roundball is a revenue sport. College is getting more expensive. Anything that can help pay for the experience should be enhanced. Second, the information age has made for better coaching and a more uniform second tier of elite players (There's only one or two 'melos or Garnett's or LB's a year--I'm talking about the guys just a tick down.). There's enough individual talent to justify it. Third, and this is the big difference, there is a battle going on in recruiting styles that is new and compelling. The mid-majors recruit by saying, you'll be here four years. Teams that stay together do better in the tourney. Come with me and you have a chance to dance, Go to Carolina and you'll sit, while your stars are "one and done." It's a contrast of philopsophiest that can only be proven out one way or another if the Drexel's get to bracket up with the Kansases and OSU's.

Go to simple 68 next year. That requires no talent. Plan on 96 the next year. It's a win-win-win.

Of course, so me, that'll just be wider brackets to be a greasefire.