Just a Thought...
I got an email earlier today from UCLA with a note that the Bruins were traveling the third-longest distance to their NCAA Tournament second-round matchup on Thursday, heading 2,529 miles to Tampa for a matchup with 10-seed Michigan State.
More than 2,500 miles for a first-round matchup. And that's not even the most. Here's the top-six:
1) Washington -- 2,802 miles (Charlotte, N.C.)
2) UC Santa Barbara -- 2,623 (Tampa, Fla.)
3) UCLA -- 2,529 (Tampa, Fla.)
4) Temple -- 2,373 (Tucson, Ariz.)
5) Penn State -- 2,226 (Tucson, Ariz.)
6) St. John's -- 1,777 (Denver, Colo.)
In today's economy, with gas prices soaring - $4.15 a gallon! BLASPHEMY. - and with plane tickets pricier than ever, is that right? Ultimately, the athletic departments aren't going to go into the red, with trips typically funded entirely by revenue-sharing, but what about the physical effects? Trust me, I'm not looking forward to 11 hours of travel tomorrow (including the time change). I can't imagine many family, friends and UCLA fans are, either.
And what about the physical tolls, not to mention educational tolls, on the players? UCLA is in the middle of finals week. You don't think the players would've appreciated a few more hours at home and a trip to Denver instead of a cross-country flight to Tampa? There are four seven-seeds, and three of them - UCLA, Washington and Temple - are on the list above. UCSB is traveling 2,600 for a probably beatdown at what is essentially a home game for Florida.
I'm not saying the tournament is in need of a complete overhaul - though this "First Four" thing is complete idiocy - but what about a little common sense?
What do you think?
Good point on travel costs, let alone classes missed, etc. and etc. Either all top seeds should be near home (ex. Florida playing in Tampa) or none. It needs to be more black and white, and could be done so.
Then again, why is Colorado not dancing? When you beat a 5 seed -- KSU -- three (THREE!) times in one season, along with Texas & Missouri, the ticket is punched.
Outrage out here at high elevation over this, and rightly so. Tourney expanded to 68 teams and Colorado gets left out for ... UAB and VCU?
50 years from now, they will be talking about how we were mired in these screwed up selection processes of college hoops and football (BCS).
Many of the top seeds seem bungled this year, as well.
Well...maybe they should have had a better year and gotten a higher seed. The top seeds get priority on easier travel. It's a way to reward good seasons. Not everyone can play close to home.
I understand that. I'm not saying send teams CLOSE to home. I'm not saying Arizona should be playing in Tucson. What I'm saying is, there are eight sites, and six of these schools are going to the furthest possible ones. Why not avert that?
Agreed, the First Four thing is stupid. 64 teams is fine...more is just a waste.
Hey it's better than going to philly
Look at the map of the sites. Most of them are far away when you're on the West Coast. Once you drop down the seedings, other things (like splitting up conference foes) come into play. The tournament isn't designed to be fair to the 28th best team in the country. Arguably, only the top 16 should even go to the playoffs. Everyone else should be grateful to get in.
As for bubble teams complaining about not getting in, with the expansion to 68, no team has any right to complain. The issue of #65 not getting in has been resolved. Enough with the whining from a team that wouldn't have even been on the "bubble" when it was only 64 teams.
LOL @ Jon Gold. First let me say that I love having you on the beat Jon. You work hard, have good contacts, and have brought this beat into the 21st century. I'm glad that nobody thinks of this as Dohn's blog anymore because I think you have been superb.
This however, was not one of your best efforts.
Do you honestly believe you are the first person to have thought of this. Is your ego so inflated? Do you imagine the guys who come up with the brackets have no common sense? Not so. And they aren't doing this to torture us either. On the contrary, the purpose of sending teams across the country for these tournaments is to A. Reward the top seeded teams, and B. Ensure there are some entertaining, non-regional match-ups for television. How much fun would it be if all the western teams stayed out westand east teams out east, and so on? Who wouldn't want to see or MSU vs. Florida in the second round?
Now as to the sacrifce. Does it take a toll? Sure, it probably does to some extent. But honestly, what's a couple more hours? A minor inconvenience and nothing more.
So Jon, enjoy your flight, have a too salty Mrs. T's Bloody Mary, write some good articles, take your per diem and quit complaining. It's tournament time and everybody in the Bruins nation is just happy to be there this year.
Jon,
No March Madness contest? I want to win some tickets or player cards!
I have to say I'm not really sympathetic. How often has UCLA been able to just sit in California and never have to go anywhere to play. Heck, through the Wooden years, how often was the Final Four in California.? (I know at least one but I'm not sure.) The travel goes with the seeding. As for the pod system, its goal is to keep the top four closer to home, maybe more if possible.
If UCLA has to travel once so be it.
Well, they better get used to it if they want a job in the NBA. They'll be traveling all the time.
While studying for finals on a plush NBA plane, making millions and playing booray? Yeah, they're exactly the same.
I think this just speaks to the hypocrisy of the NCAA. We can't have a football playoff because the student athletes would miss too much class time, but it's perfectly OK to have a 3 week basketball tournament with 68 teams, many of which travel more than 1000 miles for the game.
As for the people in Colorado complaining, have you seen their out of conference schedule? It was complete garbage, ranked something like #325 in the country. At the end of the day, it doesn't matter if it's Colorado, SUC, VCU, VaTech or UAB... none of them are going to be around very long anyway. And if Colorado thinks they got jobbed so bad, I guess they could've won more games and got off the bubble in the first place.
Since when does it take 11 hours to fly to Tampa from LA? 5 hours + 3 hour timechange = 8 hours.
Common Gold. I want to say you're better than this, but, just Common Gold.
Maybe you should read better. I said 11 hours of travel. Not of flight. I have a three-hour layover. But thanks...again.
If you try to take location into consideration all the way through the bracket you will end up with something similar to what the NCAA baseball tournament looks like where there is a lot of competitive inequality around the country in terms of brackets and match-ups.
I think UCLA and UCSB should carpool.
I'd also like to let Mr. Gold know that anytime he doesn't want to follow UCLA around the country, get access and information most of us fans would love and get paid for it, I'm more than happy to take his job.
You do realize Jon, that some people would gladly travel 11 hours to see UCLA in the tournament. Keep your whining to yourself. My guess is if SDSU was in the same pod as UCLA that 11 hours of travel would've been happily spent by you.
My god. This has nothing to do with who I cover or what I cover or the fact that most of "you fans would love to get to do this." Wake up. This has to do with the fact that it is utterly stupid to send a team 2500 miles for an opening-round game. What a joke.
Wow Gold, you're so cranky. Long travel day?
I'd LOL if I had the energy to LOL.