-
IT'S THE SEEDS, BABY
By John Doyle, Sports Writer to Be
Final Four is upon us and once again, the most attractive matchup, Duke vs. UConn, appears to be in the first round. And the debate rages, for what seems like the nintieth year in a row, as to whether or not the Final Four teams should be re-seeded in order to provide the possibility of a more attractive matchup in the final game.
Let's just get this out of the way right now. I am against the re-seeding of the Final Four, for a few reasons. Most importantly, to me, it would add a new and unwelcome dimension to one of my favorite rituals of spring: filling out my bracket as soon as the field of 65 is announced. How would this be accomplished if there was a chance the Final Four teams would be shifted? Would I also have to predict who would play whom, in addition to who would win?
Secondly, re-seeding would be completely phony. Look, there are three hundred and twenty-six teams in Division I. When you get to the last remaining four (once again, out of three hundred and freaking twenty-six), I think you could make the case that each of those four is pretty damn good. Perhaps a certain matchup would provide more drama, given the storylines and history behind any two given teams, but with regards to this particular Final Four, I think Duke and Connecticut are in good company with Oklahoma State and Georgia Tech.
Finally, what happens if you do re-seed the Final Four, and then one of the two "less attractive" teams pulls an upset? Then the two "more attractive" teams do not meet at all--a classic case of "if it ain't broke . . . "
But do not give me any of this garbage that the teams should not be re-seeded because it couldn't be done. It would not be that hard to do. In the case of this year's finalists, it would be simple. Duke is a #1 seed--they would face Georgia Tech, a #3. UConn and Oklahoma State, both #2s, would slug it out in the other semifinal. If there are three or four of the same seed in the semifinals, then break the tie by referring to the RPI or Sagarin ratings.
Even simpler, rank all tournament entrants 1 through 65, get rid of the ridiculous regions, and re-seed the teams when they get to the Final Four. Or, better yet, re-seed the teams after each weekend. The latter scenario would radically change the office-pool tradition if not eliminate it altogether, make it virtually impossible for a lower seed to go deep into the tournament, and be a nightmare for tournament organizers. But it would provide for a more perfect tournament and keep open the possibility that any two teams could possibly meet in the national final.
*****The Sports Writer to Be is back from a couple of days in Vermont. Here are some picked-up pieces while having my fill of maple, cheese and maple cheese . . .
--I cannot believe I actually did better picking two Final Four teams correct in the basketball tournament but only one correct in the hockey tournament. Duke and Oklahoma State (my eventual national champion) made me proud in roundball and BC is my baby in pucks. I had Minnesota winning their third straight Frozen Four, and I had them beating BC in the final. Since the Gophers will be at home in two weeks, I will go with BC to win another title at the Fleet. I just hope it's not Maine. Please, please, not Maine. Not at least until UNH wins one first.
--Had a good time watching the Yankees lose to the Devil Rays in Japan this morning, while enjoying my breakfast (homemade waffles with real Vermont maple syrup!) at my hotel in St. Johnsbury. Yeah, yeah, I have heard all the arguments against taking the sacred American Tradition of Opening Day overseas to Japan, and frankly, I do not buy it.
Yes, it is an inconvenience for the players to have to travel halfway around the world to do their job. It is certainly inconvenient for fans to have to get up at five a.m. to watch their favorite team on Opening Day. But the Japanese love it. America exports its culture better than any nation on Earth. Any chance our great country has to share something it does best with another nation cannot be viewed negatively.
--I saw one of my favorite sportswriters at the Verizon--Michael Holley of the Boston Globe! He looked good--about the same height as me, and a class act all the way. Told him I love his work, he replied "Thanks, man." Made my day.
John Doyle will not wear his hair like Michael Holley
