A week ago, I wrote about how I think people's whining over pod sites being too close to home was ridiculous. ESPN's Doug Gottlieb went on a rant about how it just isn't what college sports was about when North Carolina and Duke get to play in Greensboro and Villanova gets to play in Philly while the other schools must travel all over the country.
In my original post, I came from the point of view of it being better for the fans. This post will be more about what Gottlieb said.
Let me get this straight, Mr. Gottlieb: it's not fair that the best college basketball teams get to play closer to home? This isn't the college way?
I call shenanigans!
Look all over the college landscape. No one complains when USC plays in the Rose Bowl! Or if Miami-FL played in the Orange Bowl! Or if some ACC team has to go up to Boise to play Boise State in the Humanitarian Bowl! How about playing Hawaii in the Hawaii Bowl? No one bitches.
The Football Championship Series holds its playoffs at the home of the higher seeded team. Any complaints?
How about the College World Series. Not the Series itself (it's always in Omaha) but the tournament leading up to that. Those regionals and Super regionals are always played at the best team's home stadium. Does anyone bitch about that? I don't hear it!
How about the freakin' NCAA women's tournament. How is it fair that No. 2 seeded Auburn must play No. 7 Rutgers on their home floor???? Rutgers promptly beat the Tigers and will advance to the Sweet 16.
You're next argument will be that women's basketball and college baseball don't have the kind of following that fans will travel all over the place to see those teams play. Maybe so, but who cares about fans, Mr. Gottlieb! It is about being fair to the tournament and letting all teams battle on neutral courts. That's what you said.
Plus that theory doesn't fly with college football. You don't think Trojan fans would follow USC to whatever bowl they played in? Still, they get to play in their hometown in a stadium they play in at least once every other year. If Miami-FL won the ACC, they would play the Orange Bowl in their home stadium. The bowls know that they like those local teams because it means they should sell a lot of tickets.
So don't knock the NCAA for housing its tournament games in fan friendly venues. Unlike every other major college sport I just named, it is the only one that doesn't see a team play on its home court during the tournament.
How is that for fair!?!?
In my original post, I came from the point of view of it being better for the fans. This post will be more about what Gottlieb said.
Let me get this straight, Mr. Gottlieb: it's not fair that the best college basketball teams get to play closer to home? This isn't the college way?
I call shenanigans!
Look all over the college landscape. No one complains when USC plays in the Rose Bowl! Or if Miami-FL played in the Orange Bowl! Or if some ACC team has to go up to Boise to play Boise State in the Humanitarian Bowl! How about playing Hawaii in the Hawaii Bowl? No one bitches.
The Football Championship Series holds its playoffs at the home of the higher seeded team. Any complaints?
How about the College World Series. Not the Series itself (it's always in Omaha) but the tournament leading up to that. Those regionals and Super regionals are always played at the best team's home stadium. Does anyone bitch about that? I don't hear it!
How about the freakin' NCAA women's tournament. How is it fair that No. 2 seeded Auburn must play No. 7 Rutgers on their home floor???? Rutgers promptly beat the Tigers and will advance to the Sweet 16.
You're next argument will be that women's basketball and college baseball don't have the kind of following that fans will travel all over the place to see those teams play. Maybe so, but who cares about fans, Mr. Gottlieb! It is about being fair to the tournament and letting all teams battle on neutral courts. That's what you said.
Plus that theory doesn't fly with college football. You don't think Trojan fans would follow USC to whatever bowl they played in? Still, they get to play in their hometown in a stadium they play in at least once every other year. If Miami-FL won the ACC, they would play the Orange Bowl in their home stadium. The bowls know that they like those local teams because it means they should sell a lot of tickets.
So don't knock the NCAA for housing its tournament games in fan friendly venues. Unlike every other major college sport I just named, it is the only one that doesn't see a team play on its home court during the tournament.
How is that for fair!?!?
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