NCAA and TV

The NCAA got its wish. The four number one seeds will meet in the final four for the first time ever this weekend. I will, with no humility whatever, predict here and now that this will NOT be the highest rated set of final four broadcasts. Why? It's simple. There's no George Mason, no Davidson, no Bradley, and no Drake left now. It's just the usual suspects. There's no underdog to root for. The NCAA itself is partially to blame for this circumstance. On selection Sunday they turned aside several very good teams with very good season records in favor of supposed marquee teams that, in some cases, were only slightly above .500. To make it worse, the six or so "mid-majors" who were allowed into the big dance were paired off against each other in the first round to assure the "big boys" that there would only be three instead of six of them left after round one. Conspiracy? Maybe. But rest assured that the "high majors" that find themselves playing those "little" schools in the tourney are thankful for vinyl upholstery on those sideline seats. It's a lot less tense for them if the insignificant riff-raff are left standing in the parking lot to begin with.