I'm stealing a Charles Barkley word because it best fits expansion of the NCAA Tournament. In my opinion, moving to 76 teams is a terrible idea. The four play-in games added in 2011 have not been onerous, but while they have made the Selection Committee's task a tad easier, they have not made the tournament better.
The expamsion to 76 games is expected to include a total of eight play-in games. If 'more' is automatically better, why not go to 16v play-in games and have four play-in winners have to win two games to move on the main event.
But more does not automatically mean better. It means more bad teams in an event they are not good enough to compete in.
The President's Executive Order to save college sports and the expansion of the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament both get 'turrible' grades from me. I'm stealing the Charles Barkley word because it fits both. I am unaware of Barkley's opinions on both, but whatever they are, his frequent bluntness is refreshing.
In the case of the Executive Order, experts with broad experience in what can and cannot be done give the Order a thumbs down. Sports lawyer Matt Winter called it a "nothing burger", mandating actions that courts have already struck down. Winter added, "This EO is essentially just showing Congress what the NCAA and others want in a federal bill (by using Trump as a proxy). Without a federal law like the SCORE Act, I think this EO amounts to nothing."
Longtime expert on the NCAA, Tom Mars wrote, "Some worthy goals in the college sports Executive Order. However, almost all the 'solutions' are illegal and/or meaningless as written. If I belonged to the Sports Lawyers Association, I’d suggest sending a thank you note and a gift basket to the White House."
No matter how 'turrible' the Big Dance will get bigger. The other mess involving all of college sports may one day be resolved, but there are no current reasons for optimism.