2013 Division III NCAA Tournament

[FanJacket]

So in the "best interests of the student/athlete" here is a hypothetical:  RMC beats WPI and Amhurst wins...again another bus trip??

[Dave 'd-mac' McHugh]

Best interests is a 500 mile limit... there is also a financial responsibility to consider.

[iwumichigander]

Best interests is a 500 mile limit... there is also a financial responsibility to consider.

And 30 teams that lost this weekend will tell you that long bus trip better than 'one and done'

[monsoon]

The lack of the 4-team-pod this year certainly complicated the geography options of the bracket.

[FanJacket]

Did the NCAA consider the "economics" of their 75th anniversary anomoly...and not not the amount of time the student athlete could miss class??  Perhaps a "special dispensation" ($$) should be considered this year on the men's side...but then again the NCAA doesn't seem to be able to forsee and adapt (Abeit temporary) solutions to fit the "best interset of the student athlete".

[Ralph Turner]

Did the NCAA consider the "economics" of their 75th anniversary anomoly...and not not the amount of time the student athlete could miss class??  Perhaps a "special dispensation" ($$) should be considered this year on the men's side...but then again the NCAA doesn't seem to be able to forsee and adapt (Abeit temporary) solutions to fit the "best interest of the student athlete".

The NCAA is paying for the post-season.  The alternative would be to move to the NAIA where each institution raises its own money.

The NAIA Championship in Division I Men's basketball is in Kansas City, MO. 

[Pat Coleman]

Did the NCAA consider the "economics" of their 75th anniversary anomoly...and not not the amount of time the student athlete could miss class??  Perhaps a "special dispensation" ($$) should be considered this year on the men's side...but then again the NCAA doesn't seem to be able to forsee and adapt (Abeit temporary) solutions to fit the "best interset of the student athlete".

Are you saying Macon is leaving earlier for a Saturday game than it would for the Friday games we normally have in this bracket?

[FanJacket]

Not saying Macon is leaving earlier...they only play one game per weekend...and potentially could leave "earlier" 3 weeks in a row...then potentially a 4th and then???

[Mr. Ypsi]

I understand the economics, but wish the 500-mile rule was more like 400 (which would no doubt mean several more flights per year).  A 496 mile bus ride is basically an all day affair!  (And I realize that they are not riding yellow school buses - still, it is brutal.  I wonder if anyone has ever attempted to calculate home-court advantage for someone being bussed that far vs. flying?)

EDIT: On the other hand, the bean counters would then make the upper midwest area matchups even more brutal than they already are - forget I said anything! )

[Pat Coleman]

It used to be 400. But then again, we'd just be getting crappier brackets.

[Dave 'd-mac' McHugh]

I was going to say Ypsi... if you want a shorter radius... we are going to get into more geographic and regional games and less creativity because I doubt the NCAA would reduce the bus mileage and then ADD flights.

[Mr. Ypsi]

It used to be 400. But then again, we'd just be getting crappier brackets.

Yeah, I thought of that and edited my post JUST before you posted!

Maybe we should raise it to 700 - current highway buses are pretty darned comfortable!

[Ralph Turner]

And then there was the revenue from the previous NCAA March Madness contract that allocated one bid for every 7.5 schools (not 6.5 schools).  That meant fewer Pool C bids.  We really had some good teams sitting on the table when the last Pool C bid was let.

That was not good!

[Ryan Scott (Hoops Fan)]

You also have to remember that they'll go back to pods next year.  In a normal d3 tournament, they'd likely be meeting somewhere in PA to play, so both teams would be driving.  Then again, they might bring all four teams to WPI - you never know.

Driving is part of the gig sometimes.  Win more games, less chance of a long drive.  Pretty simple formula.

[Ryan Scott (Hoops Fan)]

Did the NCAA consider the "economics" of their 75th anniversary anomoly...and not not the amount of time the student athlete could miss class??  Perhaps a "special dispensation" ($$) should be considered this year on the men's side...but then again the NCAA doesn't seem to be able to forsee and adapt (Abeit temporary) solutions to fit the "best interset of the student athlete".

Speaking of which, any word on the broadcasting of the D2 and D3 championship games?  Are they going to get CBS airtime or will it be CBS Sports Network or the same old internet broadcast again?