Quote Originally Posted by R2Dawg View Post
Even the play in teams are "in" the tourney. I just don't think it is fair to penalize a much better team having to play an extra game like a 10 seed. That means there are 24 teams not as good that get a bye just because they play in a weak conference. Not fair at all but I guess that is the equity game being applied like all conferences are the same - Not.
I think the extra teams and the play-in is stupid, I would much prefer they stayed at 64. But if you are going to have them, it makes sense to give 4 extra teams a chance to play their way in, not teams who have already clinched a spot. And regardless, no one truly thinks of the play-in teams as in the tournament yet. Yes, you get to say you are and you are technically in the bracket, but no one cares about those games. The whole point of the tournament is that you do not assume anything, including the strength of the conference, you let the teams play it out. Every conference should have a representative in the 64-team field. It makes no sense to have some 16s and some at-larges playing. There is currently no logic to it, they just wanted more teams and did a bad job of figuring out how to include them.